Being a fanatic of the movie and series, it should come as no surprise that I was excited when this game first came out. Years later I stumbled across it with the rest of my collection of dalmatian paraphernalia and decided to try it out again to relive my younger days.
All in all, they didn't do as great a job as they could have. If you've played the title Puppies to the Rescue for either PC or PlayStation, you have the ever basic formula of this one. However it is no comparison to me which game is better.
Patches London Adventure has you running around collecting bones, steaks, barking at enemies and saving puppies. This is the same premise as in Puppies to the Rescue, but for some reason it doesn't come across the same way. The graphics are downright laughable in comparison, the goals are mediocre and most levels incredibly easy. There are some levels that prove me wrong some had me frustrated for hours but this is the general rule. Movement is kind of choppy and slow, unless you roll or jump everywhere you go, which isn't practical if you run into an enemy.
Another thing is that the music is exactly the same as in Puppies to the Rescue. No joke. Its as if they were too lazy to come up with something more original (its still good music but works better with the other game, in my opinion). That or the company making this game didn't take the time to come up with an improved and more enhanced addition to the Dalmatian family and instead pushed for something so it would be released in time with the movie.
Overall I guess the game is... cute. If you're a true 101 Dalmatians fan or collector then its probably worth playing at least once. But to the average gamer who happens to like Disney titles, stick to almost ANY other dalmatian game.
Showing posts with label low price xbox 360. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low price xbox 360. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Buy American Pickers
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $6.80
Today's Bonus: 66% Off
I really enjoyed playing this game. If you like Hidden Objects without having to play a mystery adventure game, this is one for you!
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Love the TV show and I enjoyed searching for items. Its just too short looking for sequel. I recommend it.Best Deals for American Pickers
I watch the T.V. show and I like it, my husband found the game and I tried it and and the game is really fun.Honest reviews on American Pickers
This game is not worth the money. It only allows you to go through once (and that can be done in a couple of hours). It does not open additional sites to "pick". They should just leave it on the History site and not try to sell it. Needs improvement.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for American Pickers
It was fun to search for the hidden objects, but it was difficult getting the game to progress to the next state to search for more objects. I restarted the game to try and get past the problem areas and it didn't change anything. Instructions were not clear as to how to proceed. Also, I think there is too much dialogue which i didn't want to skip for fear I would miss something necessary to finding objects or what to do with the objects. I love their TV show but find the game difficult to navigate.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Buy Gioteck TX2 Throat Mic (Xbox 360)
As an international man of mystery, I depend on my equipment being the best. And I'm not sure this thing is.
All hail Amazon From whom All internet blessings flow. AMAZON
All hail Amazon From whom All internet blessings flow. AMAZON
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I figured this would be really cool. I was wrong. I received a lot of feed back about how horrible the mic quality was. I used it for about a month before giving up on it and going back to the original headset.Best Deals for Gioteck TX2 Throat Mic (Xbox 360)
This mic is pretty good, my friends could hear me good but it was a little hard for me to hear them if they were talking lower, but for the price its pretty good. it came as described by seller and even came a day or two early. I would recommend this to anyone.Honest reviews on Gioteck TX2 Throat Mic (Xbox 360)
I can say from the last three days of gaming from COD to RE this headset does it all. The fact that gunfire and other noise does not affect communication is amazing, would not use any other except for Turtle Beach. Now one drawback is you get no back ground sounds so anyone sneaking up on you is a disadvantage to this mic set. Over all this mic is boss its light and comfortable and has no wires to worry about so convenience is A+. I would recommend for gamers who love the free style headsets and love combat style communications to help the team win the game.Saturday, December 27, 2014
Cheap Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14: Masters Historic Edition -Xbox 360
List Price: $69.99
Sale Price: $44.09
Today's Bonus: 37% Off
The Tiger Woods PGA Tour series has been solid if unspectacular this generation carrying with it somewhat limited appeal. Hampered by a heavy reliance on downloadable content the justification to purchase yearly has waned considerably.
That won't necessarily change with Tiger Woods 14. People who play yearly may not find as much value as novices. However for those who have skipped recent versions or who would be new to the series it can be easily recommended.
While Tiger Woods 12 had the compelling draw of The Masters for the first time, and Tiger 13 attempted to create a new experience with the Legacy Challenge, it would take travelling many years farther in the past to find a golf game that captured my attention in the way that Tiger 14 has. Any assumption that a gimmicky element would be needed to create interest has been proven wrong by a product that simply delivers realistic and satisfying gameplay as accompanied by a rich and involving feature set. Feel free to check out a few gameplay videos (Career, Legends of the Majors, Live Tournament) on the Pastapadre Youtube Channel.
One very successful element introduced in Tiger 14 is the "Swing Style" feature which gives each current golfer a more personalized feel along with the ability to craft a swing style when creating new golfers. Now each individual is classified in the following categories: Type (Power or Control), Shape (Draw or Fade), Trajectory (Low, Medium, or High), and Handedness (Left or Right). The tutorial helps in getting a feel for some of the differences and the selection screen explains the choices. They can be changed later if so desired. Draws and fades are manageable this year but it can still be difficult to nail that stick movement.
Legends of the Majors is the flashy new mode for this year. It involves playing through events from history within the confines of the time they took place. That means playing with the legends, old course designs, and equipment. The visual filter defines those time periods but feels out of place in a sense given the experience is otherwise all from the golfer's perspective.
Some of the challenges are fairly easy like re-creating a shot, while others take more work such as matching a performance over several holes or a round. Whether they are overly frustrating or just tough remains to be determined. There are 62 challenges overall and most are worthwhile but there are some that clearly could have been omitted. Why am I being asked to play in 1922 as Rory McIlroy against Keegan Bradley? Legends of the Majors is a decent distraction and going through the history of the sport is a valuable journey but it's not something that will hold much value outside of the initial play through.
The Live Tournaments online have been enhanced by adding more of the social element that had been lacking last year. There is of course still the traditional ways to play online but the Tournaments now offer the ability to see the shot arcs for up to an active 24 players on a hole and include group voice chat. I have no expectation of ever winning a public tournament, and that can still be discouraging in a sense, but setting them up with Clubs or friends makes for a fun experience regardless of performance level. Country Clubs have been expanded to 100 members and that too now features chat functionality.
Other additions of note are the LPGA tour, "Simulation" difficulty, and varied tee times that include night golf. Playing in nighttime conditions is more than just the darkness as the sound effects from the environment like the chirping birds are gone. It just has a new feel to it like playing on the historic courses provides in Legends of the Majors. EA probably should have taken sunglasses off golfers who wear them though when it turns dark out. I would not be the right person to assess the "Simulation" setting but from all other accounts it appears to provide the experience very talented players have been looking for.
Presentation would appear to be the weakness of Tiger 14. The commentary is bland, overly generic, and occasionally incorrect. The camera angles range from satisfactory to downright horrible. Quite often after taking a shot particularly when putting it immediately cuts to a camera angle that makes it impossible to actually tell what is happening. They may be meant to enhance the drama but all they do is remove oneself from the moment. The on-screen informational displays do well to communicate information with the leaderboard, scorecards, and Country Club stats but others seem pretty pointless especially when the statistical leaders for a category are all the people who have yet to tee off.
Last year's method of being able to earn DLC courses through time spent playing has been removed due to heavy criticism and problems with the implementation on the PS3. Though not necessarily the wrong decision EA should have provided some alternate method that worked instead of falling back on the old way of doing things where the only way to obtain them is by spending significant chunks of money.
While the enjoyment being had with Tiger 14 may be partially attributed to having not invested much time with the series over the course of the generation and particularly last year which just fell flat and was pushed aside quickly it can't be discounted due to just that. The addictive nature of the gameplay and strong depth of content could be realized by many. Tiger 14′s additions and improvements have the merit to be appreciated by the both the hardcore and more casual crowds and that is a balance that has been tough to come by in the past.
***HISTORIC EDITION*** Includes six courses and a playable Bobby Jones not found in the standard version. For the $10 difference the value is there if the courses are important or would have been bought as downloadable content otherwise as the Historic Upgrade package is $20 through Xbox Live Marketplace/PlayStation Network Store.
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I've played Tiger Woods PGA Tour games on my Xbox for many years. There have been some ups and some downs (yeck...remember the caddie?) So I went into this not expecting to be impressed, given some of the things I've read about servers being down and game bugs galore. I can honestly say that, a month after the official release, I've experienced none of that.Instead, I found a golf game that's quite possibly the best Tiger Woods PGA Tour game, ever! Yep, I really really like this game. It combines all the good parts of past TW PGA Tour games and none of the bad. You even get--count 'em--a generous serving of 25 golf courses included (in the Historic Edition)! Better still, unlike the last Masters edition I bought, if you don't have the course that's next on the tour, no problem. You're not forced to buy the course, you can simply substitute an existing one to your tournament.
Pin Packs, which are collectible pins that boost your stats for a round, are available at the Store, but you don't have to buy them if you don't want to, and you don't have to feel you're missing out on something if you don't. In fact, after I purchased a Pin Pack just to see what it was, I haven't bought any since. I don't need them to play. You can purchase Pin Packs with either MS points, or with game coins earned from playing.
Country Clubs are back. Start your own or join an existing one, reap the benefits of club bonuses with friends. Plus now, Night Golf! There's even an achievement called "Find the Werewolf"! (google this for a Youtube video)
I find the golf mechanics are pretty much perfect this time around, from the swing meter to the putting, although sometimes the camera on the putting surface is in the wrong position. There's a demo available on Xbox live so you can see for yourself. By far, the best feature of the Historic Edition is the ability to play against legends from the past. This is presented in scratchy sepia tone and is just so much fun to see the old courses, clothes and of course, golf clubs--cleeks, jiggers, and baffing spoons etc.
If you're an armchair golfer who has played past TW PGA Tour games and are on the fence with this one, give the demo a try. I did, then I came right back to Amazon to purchase it! Great golf game!
Best Deals for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14: Masters Historic Edition -Xbox 360
Game play is great, but the game is plagued with a lot of bugs at this point. I have read that a patch has been sent to Xbox for approval. Hopefully this fixes some of the bugs. One of the major bugs is that when you equip coins during online matches you don't get the benefit of the boosts. Not a big deal for me since I don't use pins. That being said, I receive negative XP every time I play an online match it doesn't amount to much, but it is annoying. I have also heard of a lot of people having issues with the game freezing. I have only had the game freeze 3 times all 3 times were during loading screens while not in a match. Another issue when playing online matches is the view of your opponent's shot. All you can see if the back of their golfer it does not follow the flight of their golf ball. There are few others that have had other issues that I have not experienced.The game play itself is very good not much different from last year's though. The biggest difference I have noticed is with the putting. It seems that you have to hit your putts a little harder than in years past. I do like you can choose from a power golfer or a control golfer. In addition, you can choose whether your golfer hits fades or draws.
After approximately 100 rounds played I'm really enjoying the game even with the bugs. One really negative thing is that EA has removed the ability to 'earn' courses with your coins like you could in last year's game. Now all extra courses have to be purchased. If you purchase all courses, you're looking at over $50, not including the price of the game. If you're like me and play this game a lot, you'll probably break down and buy the courses.
I'll update my review after the patch is implemented on Xbox Live.
Honest reviews on Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14: Masters Historic Edition -Xbox 360
Picked this up for the 1st time in a couple years, absolutely so much fun to play. I'd read a few negative reviews on the standard edition, one guy complained about career mode and said he couldn't hit it more that 200 yards to begin with this isn't true. Within 5 hours of gameplay, my guy can bomb it 280 290 yards and they give you an option to get the masters brand clubset early on so that your stats are actually better than clubs you can't get until level 60 or more. If you like golf video games, pick this up. There is so much to do and the legends mode is incredible, I wish they would do some realistic legends teams in madden similar to this (69 Jets, 75 Vikings, etc). I couldn't recommend this game any higher, just get it.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14: Masters Historic Edition -Xbox 360
We finally upgraded from our old PS2 to the Xbox 360 so my husband can play against his sons online. This was our first purchase with our new system and we are already addicted to it. And based on their growing stats I'd say they're completely addicted to it too.My husband and I are total Xbox newbies so we can't compare this game against any other version. What I can say is that after playing it pretty much non-stop for the entire weekend our only complaint is that when we strike a putt the view immediately changes to a far away shot, as if you are now a spectator watching the play from way too far away. It bugs. The problem with this is, I can't watch my own putt from my own perspective so I can't pick up any tips if I miss the shot. This feature is rather frustrating, most likely because we're avid golfers. If the viewing angle was closer I might not be so bothered by it but it's way too far away to help me in any way and that part sucks. It may be a setting I can tweak but I doubt it. I've been through most of the menus by now and haven't seen such an option, at least not yet.
So far though that is my only complaint to report. The graphics are amazing, and for avid golfers it is really cool to be able to 'play' such revered courses like Augusta, Pebble Beach, and St. Andrews. This is as close as I'll probably ever get to 'playing' them so I'm thoroughly enjoying seeing what these courses look like with no spectators and grandstands and scoreboards all over the place. I know it's simulated but still, if you like golf this is pretty darn cool!
Update: After playing this game for several months now I can say that my opinion of it is still very high but I do notice a lot of glitches that are starting to bother me. I think the most frustrating is when the clubs in my golf bag revert back to the Starter set before you start a new round of golf. Since no one thinks of checking their clubs before each round, this glitch can really upset you when you think you have your 8 degree Nike driver (and all its attributes) only to realize you're now stuck using their default 11.5 degree starter club and it's extremely limited attributes. When your gaming profile is up to 90+, losing your upgraded clubs can really hinder your skills! I've also noticed several other little glitches that are apparently known issues if you check out the blogs on EA Sports. For example, if I select my female golfer as my profile player sometimes a warning pops up that says my other profile golfer will be removed from my console. So then if I want to use my male player later, I have to completely log out of EA Sports and log back in to get both profiles back. I am using my local hard drive for storage instead of their cloud storage so I don't know if that is why this keeps happening or not. One other issue is when I recently tried to enter a sponsored tournament their registration servers were unavailable every time I tried.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Heavenly Sword - Playstation 3 Reviews
Heavenly Sword is truly an amazing and entertaining experience. My brother and I rented this game and played thorough it in 2 nights. It probably took us about 8-10 hours to get through since some of the bosses were a little tricky. What stood out to me the most about this game was its production value. I have never seen acting so good in a game before, and not just the voice overs. You really began to love the heroes in the game and truly hate the villains, one in particular. Much of this level of quality was due to Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings' Gollum, King Kong) who headed up the motion capture and voice recording as well as playing the part of the main antagonist in the game, King Bohan.
Everything was done so well down to the smallest detail, the level of quality was outstanding. The game looked great in game and during the cut seans. There were many moments where we had to stop playing and just take in the beautiful landscape. This is definitely a game to show off your PS3 system, I like the rope running sequence myself.
The game play was also top notch. It focuses mostly on melee combat and shooting. There is no real platforming to speak of. Switching between different fighting styles (speed, ranged, and strong) and performing counters was innovative and a lot of fun. As were the shooting sequences using the sixaxis to guide arrows and cannon balls were fun as well and a great use of the technology. Overall the controls were tight and worked very well for this type of game.
I would have to say that Heavenly Sword is up there with my most memorable gaming experiences and is truly an amazing game. If you own a PS3 you owe it to your self to buy or at least rent this game. You won't be sorry.
OMG!! If I hear one more person complain about the length of this game I swear I am going to scream!! First off let me address the fact. It is obvious to me that people complained about the length, because the game is so FRIGGN SWEET and they wanted more. I simply adore the fact that this game is so short, I have a job and family of four and only get to sit and play games for maybe an hour or two here and there. Why do people put such of an emphasis on the length of a game? Saying things like "for $60 this game should be longer". No game IMO is worth 60 bucks, but that is what they charge. I don't feel justified when I spend 60 bucks on a game and it is 20+ hours long. I feel justified by how the game impressed me or how I felt after I finished it. Did I have a memorable experience and maybe how much replay value is there? Heavenly Sword addresses all these questions, with an astounding YES. The only game I have ever played twice that was 20+ hours long was Final Fantasy 7. Otherwise with most longer games I was so glad it was over, that I wouldn't dare go through it again. With short games you can play them over and over be glad you like say Resident Evil. If you want to complain about the price tag, just complain about the price tag!! But please don't place a negative on a game just because it is a little shorter than others. Simply put I would pay 60 bucks for this masterpiece faster than any 20+ hour game I can think of.
Now that I am off my soapbox, let me just say that this game is probably the best entertainment experience I have had in a long time. I say entertainment, because this game is like participating in a karate movie with a great story. It immediately pulls you into its wonderful cinematic story. This game is a crowning achievement from beginning to end. Please do not compare this game to God of War or Prince of Persia, both are great in there own respect, but Heavenly sword destroys them. Both God of War and Prince of Persia are platformers at the core and Heavenly sword is not. You can not jump which some say is a negative, but in that same respect you don't have to worry about falling off any cliffs either.
Yes I will say it Heavenly Sword is the most beautiful game I have ever played, from the cinematic cut-scenes, to the very intense battles. The developers definitely took their time doing this one right! Every battle is like watching Uma Thurman in Kill Bill dispatch a room full of enemies. While this might sound monotonous, the style in which Nariko dispatches of her enemies makes me wish they just kept coming. Blocks, counter attacks, combos, ability to pick things up and hurl them at enemies, and last but not least those GORGEOUS finishing moves are what makes the battles such a joy. I think what I liked most about the game is that it never felt like a straight button mashing affair, you'll actually need to time your blocks, attacks and counters.
Don't think it is all fighting though; alternatively you'll get to play as Kai. Kai is the ultimate fight from a distance companion. And with her comes one of the games BEST gimmicks. The "aftertouch" system, which I ABSOLUTELY loved, allows you to slow down time and aim the arrows with the Sixaxis controller. It does take some practice and you need a gentle touch to make sure the controller is level before firing. Once you get the hang of it though, guiding an arrow's path directly into the skull of an enemy never ever gets old.
The game isn't perfect. I found the button-pressing sections of the game where you have to hit a certain button when it pops up on screen very distracting. Heavenly sword engrosses you so much into the story that I just wanted to watch the cinematic experiences not actually participate in them, so I was constantly mistiming things. There weren't many sections like this, but I wouldn't have missed them if they were gone.
Bottom line: This is the game that will remind you why you wanted a PS3 in the first place. If you own a PS3 or have a friend who has a PS3, you MUST play this game. If you don't have access to a PS3 you are seriously missing out on one of the gaming industries masterpieces. Sure there are other great games on other systems that are outstanding. Heavenly Sword though, will have you thinking about it when you aren't playing it and that is what makes a gaming masterpiece. Whether you rent or buy is really irrelevant JUST PLAY IT!! Yeah it may be only about 6 hours or so long, but soon as I get the chance I am going to play through it again, yeah it is that good. With as many games as I have played through my life, I can't remember the last game I actually wanted to play through a second time. Oh yeah I can Final Fantasy 7 (September 1997)
The gameplay is repetitive and SHORT. The movies were pretty long and it did seem like we were watching a movie intercut with some short gameplay. The enemies were easy enough to pick up with a couple favorite combos, and the bosses were easy once you figured out the pattern to their attacks. All in all, if your a good gamer or even an average gamer, this game will last you all of one sitting, plus a few hours for the last boss, because he is irratatingly hard, unlike how the game was up until that point.
I'm not saying that the game wasn't impressive, as it had expansive environments. It just seemed like I was seeing the same things over and over again. The backgrounds were nice, but it wasn't like you got to go see them.
All in all. I'm not sad that I own this game, but after beating it, I doubt I'll pick it up and play it again. Most of the game is watching the movie and once you've seen it, there really is no desire to keep playing.
Heavenly Sword is innovative in several ways, from the game interface (basic menu), to the mini animated Super Style moves and the combat system; to the depth that the gamer will be pulled into the story. Playing through I got the feel that things had now changed and after this game, others that follow will have to do more. I played through in 720p and the graphics are awesome, everywhere and all the time. It is amazing how many enemies can be on screen at one time and it all works so well, rocks! The Super Style move animation blends in so well with the rest of the combat flow, it was really done well. The sixaxis use for arrows was well done too.
The story of Nariko, her friend Kai, and Clan will pull you in and keep you wanting more until the very end. I have played no other game that has anything like the way this game delivers the story with you.
I beat the game, but it took me more like 9 to 10 hours. I've gone back now to any previous spot I like, a nice feature of the game to work on unlocking more glyphs for (more of ) the tons of extra content that gets unlocked as you play through the game. There is replay value here, and a hell mode once beaten.
Overall, I'm glad I bought this game, and highly recommend it be purchased.
Everything was done so well down to the smallest detail, the level of quality was outstanding. The game looked great in game and during the cut seans. There were many moments where we had to stop playing and just take in the beautiful landscape. This is definitely a game to show off your PS3 system, I like the rope running sequence myself.
The game play was also top notch. It focuses mostly on melee combat and shooting. There is no real platforming to speak of. Switching between different fighting styles (speed, ranged, and strong) and performing counters was innovative and a lot of fun. As were the shooting sequences using the sixaxis to guide arrows and cannon balls were fun as well and a great use of the technology. Overall the controls were tight and worked very well for this type of game.
I would have to say that Heavenly Sword is up there with my most memorable gaming experiences and is truly an amazing game. If you own a PS3 you owe it to your self to buy or at least rent this game. You won't be sorry.
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Could it be that the Playstation 3 is finally getting some exclusive, must own games? Heavenly Sword, the eagerly anticipated hack & slasher from Sony, may look as if it's a toned down God of War, but don't let that fool you. Boasting some incrediblely mouth watering graphics and superb controls, Heavenly Sword puts you in the role of Nariko: a female warrior who wields said sword and takes down hordes of enemies in the process. While this may sound like it'll get boring after a while (like many games of the genre do), Heavenly Sword manages to keep things pretty fresh by implementing different play styles, playable characters, and puzzle elements as well. The game also boasts some incredible production values, excellent music and sound effects, great voice acting, and entertaining cinematics and story as well. The only real negative to Heavenly Sword is that the game is quite short. It won't take you long to get through the game (you could beat it in an afternoon if you so desired), and though there are a nice selection of unlockables and extras to find as well, the replay factor isn't very high here. Not to mention that the puzzle elements aren't anything we haven't seen before either, but these negatives don't take away the fact that Heavenly Sword is one of the best, original games to hit the PS3 yet. All in all, Heavenly Sword is a fun blast while it lasts, and needless to say, if you own a PS3, this is one of the games you've been waiting to get your hands on since you purchased the console.Best Deals for Heavenly Sword - Playstation 3
Game Review: Heavenly Sword (PS3)OMG!! If I hear one more person complain about the length of this game I swear I am going to scream!! First off let me address the fact. It is obvious to me that people complained about the length, because the game is so FRIGGN SWEET and they wanted more. I simply adore the fact that this game is so short, I have a job and family of four and only get to sit and play games for maybe an hour or two here and there. Why do people put such of an emphasis on the length of a game? Saying things like "for $60 this game should be longer". No game IMO is worth 60 bucks, but that is what they charge. I don't feel justified when I spend 60 bucks on a game and it is 20+ hours long. I feel justified by how the game impressed me or how I felt after I finished it. Did I have a memorable experience and maybe how much replay value is there? Heavenly Sword addresses all these questions, with an astounding YES. The only game I have ever played twice that was 20+ hours long was Final Fantasy 7. Otherwise with most longer games I was so glad it was over, that I wouldn't dare go through it again. With short games you can play them over and over be glad you like say Resident Evil. If you want to complain about the price tag, just complain about the price tag!! But please don't place a negative on a game just because it is a little shorter than others. Simply put I would pay 60 bucks for this masterpiece faster than any 20+ hour game I can think of.
Now that I am off my soapbox, let me just say that this game is probably the best entertainment experience I have had in a long time. I say entertainment, because this game is like participating in a karate movie with a great story. It immediately pulls you into its wonderful cinematic story. This game is a crowning achievement from beginning to end. Please do not compare this game to God of War or Prince of Persia, both are great in there own respect, but Heavenly sword destroys them. Both God of War and Prince of Persia are platformers at the core and Heavenly sword is not. You can not jump which some say is a negative, but in that same respect you don't have to worry about falling off any cliffs either.
Yes I will say it Heavenly Sword is the most beautiful game I have ever played, from the cinematic cut-scenes, to the very intense battles. The developers definitely took their time doing this one right! Every battle is like watching Uma Thurman in Kill Bill dispatch a room full of enemies. While this might sound monotonous, the style in which Nariko dispatches of her enemies makes me wish they just kept coming. Blocks, counter attacks, combos, ability to pick things up and hurl them at enemies, and last but not least those GORGEOUS finishing moves are what makes the battles such a joy. I think what I liked most about the game is that it never felt like a straight button mashing affair, you'll actually need to time your blocks, attacks and counters.
Don't think it is all fighting though; alternatively you'll get to play as Kai. Kai is the ultimate fight from a distance companion. And with her comes one of the games BEST gimmicks. The "aftertouch" system, which I ABSOLUTELY loved, allows you to slow down time and aim the arrows with the Sixaxis controller. It does take some practice and you need a gentle touch to make sure the controller is level before firing. Once you get the hang of it though, guiding an arrow's path directly into the skull of an enemy never ever gets old.
The game isn't perfect. I found the button-pressing sections of the game where you have to hit a certain button when it pops up on screen very distracting. Heavenly sword engrosses you so much into the story that I just wanted to watch the cinematic experiences not actually participate in them, so I was constantly mistiming things. There weren't many sections like this, but I wouldn't have missed them if they were gone.
Bottom line: This is the game that will remind you why you wanted a PS3 in the first place. If you own a PS3 or have a friend who has a PS3, you MUST play this game. If you don't have access to a PS3 you are seriously missing out on one of the gaming industries masterpieces. Sure there are other great games on other systems that are outstanding. Heavenly Sword though, will have you thinking about it when you aren't playing it and that is what makes a gaming masterpiece. Whether you rent or buy is really irrelevant JUST PLAY IT!! Yeah it may be only about 6 hours or so long, but soon as I get the chance I am going to play through it again, yeah it is that good. With as many games as I have played through my life, I can't remember the last game I actually wanted to play through a second time. Oh yeah I can Final Fantasy 7 (September 1997)
Honest reviews on Heavenly Sword - Playstation 3
I bought Heavenly Sword the day it came out. While at the time, it was one of the best games graphically for PS3, it definately did not live up to my expectations.The gameplay is repetitive and SHORT. The movies were pretty long and it did seem like we were watching a movie intercut with some short gameplay. The enemies were easy enough to pick up with a couple favorite combos, and the bosses were easy once you figured out the pattern to their attacks. All in all, if your a good gamer or even an average gamer, this game will last you all of one sitting, plus a few hours for the last boss, because he is irratatingly hard, unlike how the game was up until that point.
I'm not saying that the game wasn't impressive, as it had expansive environments. It just seemed like I was seeing the same things over and over again. The backgrounds were nice, but it wasn't like you got to go see them.
All in all. I'm not sad that I own this game, but after beating it, I doubt I'll pick it up and play it again. Most of the game is watching the movie and once you've seen it, there really is no desire to keep playing.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Heavenly Sword - Playstation 3
Yes, this game is shorter than most, but don't let that stop you from buying this game and supporting the developer Ninja Theory; they have done a great job at giving us a truly next generation game that demonstrates the power of the PS3.Heavenly Sword is innovative in several ways, from the game interface (basic menu), to the mini animated Super Style moves and the combat system; to the depth that the gamer will be pulled into the story. Playing through I got the feel that things had now changed and after this game, others that follow will have to do more. I played through in 720p and the graphics are awesome, everywhere and all the time. It is amazing how many enemies can be on screen at one time and it all works so well, rocks! The Super Style move animation blends in so well with the rest of the combat flow, it was really done well. The sixaxis use for arrows was well done too.
The story of Nariko, her friend Kai, and Clan will pull you in and keep you wanting more until the very end. I have played no other game that has anything like the way this game delivers the story with you.
I beat the game, but it took me more like 9 to 10 hours. I've gone back now to any previous spot I like, a nice feature of the game to work on unlocking more glyphs for (more of ) the tons of extra content that gets unlocked as you play through the game. There is replay value here, and a hell mode once beaten.
Overall, I'm glad I bought this game, and highly recommend it be purchased.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Cheap PlayStation 3 (20GB)
Once considered the red-headed stepchild of Sony's large, confusing fleet of Playststion 3 models, the news that new models of the PS3 will contain no PS2 compatibility gives this model some extra appeal.
Just like the 60GB model, this system has full hardware backwards compatibility and will play the vast majority of PS2 games very well. Replaying Metal Gear Solid 3 on the system, there was noticeable improvement in some of the game's loading from my old PS2, and the game looked great upscaled over HDMI.
There are three drawbacks I can think of with this modelwhich are easily addressed for the most part.
1. The 20GB Hard drive fills up very quickly on the PS3, even if you're just using the system for gaming and not as a media hub. The game I purchased with the system, Metal Gear Solid 4 took up 4.5 GB on it's own. Thankfully, it's cheap and simple to drop a much larger SATA laptop drive into the system.
2. This is the only Playstation 3 model that does NOT include built-in Wi-Fi and Sony doesn't have an officially supported adapter. That's a pretty big drawback since so many of the PS3's cool features are online. A gaming ethernet bridge does a pretty good job of taking care of this.
3. No media card slotsI can't plug a compact flash card into my PS3 like the 60GB models can... oh, wait. Why would I want to plug media cards into my system anyways? If I did, it would be as simple as buying a $6 hub.
So, if you want a system that plays all your Playstation games and have a wired internet connection, I highly suggest giving this PS3 model a look. It doesn't fetch the premium price that the 60GB units currently are and its drawbacks are easily addressed.
To start with, the PS3, like the XBox 360, supports full high definition. The Wii only supports a lower resolution. Since the Wii has a much lower price tag, that is a fair trade-off for people with a tighter budget. Gamers for whom a very high level of graphic detail is important will have to pony up for that ability.
Along the same lines, the XBox 360 supports the HD format of high definition DVDs for movies, while the PS3 supports the Blu-ray format. If you haven't been following the whole format war for high definition DVDs, I have several articles on the topic on my gaming site. In short it's like the VHS/Beta wars when the VCR first came out. Is one better than the other? Will one format win out as the sole survivor? There's no way to tell. People will argue vehemently that one is better than the other. From a gaming point of view, the PS3 has the Blu-ray BUILT IN meaning every game can have 50 GIGS worth of game information. Think MASSIVELY huge maps, types of characters, etc. The XBox 360 only uses "regular" DVDs as its base game holder, which is 7 GIG. That is much smaller. You can buy an add-on HD DVD unit for about $100 but the storage is still smaller than Blu-ray about 30 gig.
People will argue about graphics until they're blue :) A lot of this comes down to how a specific game company *uses* the ability of the system. Looking at graphics on a tetris-like game will be much different than viewing the graphics of Oblivion or Gears of War. I found 360 graphics amazing on Oblivion. I equally found the PS3 graphics quite impressive on Genji's cut scenes (no enemy crabs in sight). Since both are high definition, I think that both have the same potential in real life terms. Both really shine in terms of fluid motion, precise detail and realism. I've seen it on both systems, on certain games. I've also seen junky graphics on both systems. Both are much better than the Wii.
How about sound? All of these can plug into your stereo system. My boyfriend and I are both musicians. We have decibel meters and other sound-sensing tools. All three systems can create amazingly complex sounds, music, and in general a "gaming environment". Again I think it comes down to specific game makers, how they choose to use or not use that ability. It also comes down to how much you the gamer spent on your stereo system :)
Speaking of sound, I do have to comment that our 360 is quite loud when it runs, despite our many attempts to help it be quieter. The PS3 right out of the box is MUCH quieter. Score 1 point for the PS3.
On the general operating system for the units, all three consoles are going for more of a "general use entertainment system" presentation. The XBox has customizeable tabs that let you download new games, manage your environment and so on. The Wii also has channels that let you organize your gaming world. The PS3 has an interface almost exactly like that of the PSP, complete with cool drifting smoke waves in the background. You choose which area you want to work on game, music, internet connection etc., and drop down to alter whatever feature you're interested in.
So on to the on-line aspect, which most gamers are now fully interested in. Where the XBox 360 makes you buy an external connector for wireless, the PS3 has that built-in on the 60 gig model. The 20 gig model still requires an external connector (these run about $100). All will let you plug in a cable if you're still running a wired household.
As a side comment on that, the XBox 360 has a 20 gig hard drive. However, they take up about 12 gig of that with their base system. So really you get 8 gig "free" for other things. Now, 8 gig might sound like a lot. But I still remember when the PS2 first came out and everyone was raving about the 8mb memory cards, how you could never possibly fill one of those up. We now have 8 memory cards and all are pretty much full. I have no doubt that 8 gig or even 20 gig is going to fill quickly. With the PS3 you at least do have that option for the 60 gig and it is really worth it. With the 360 your only option is to get an add-on drive to in essence back up the content you're not currently using and free up the main drive.
How does the online world work on the PS3? The XBox definitely has the advantage here. Until this generation, *only* the XBox had a thriving community in their live world. The XBox 360 connected right into that XBox Live world, and they boast a *huge* community of gamers who actively gain points, play online and form virtual worlds. The PS3 and Wii both have to play catch-up at this point. Even if they have better interfaces, it's a matter of converting over all those players who have clans, familiarity and high point collections on the XBox world. Imagine if a new MMORPG came out right now that had fantastic graphics. Sure it might be wonderful but will you really get all 800 trillion WOW players to drop their world and characters and friends to convert, especially if it costs more? It'll be a hard, slow sell.
My summary? I definitely think all three have great games and that all three are worth owning. Of course I'm in a position that I *can* afford all three, which many people are not in. For example, I *love* the Zelda series, and I *love* the Final Fantasy series. I would be hard put to tell a person "you need to get Zelda instead of Final Fantasy". I would want the person to have both, because both are great for different reasons. If you really truly can only save up for one of the three consoles this holiday season, it isn't going to come down to which console is "best" for all players in some sort of a global way. It is going to come down to which console is best for YOU based on your specific gaming style.
If you're on a really tight budget and just want something better than the previous generation, go for a Wii. It's cheap, the graphics are better, and the remotes are great fun. It has Zelda :) If you have a larger budget and really want the high definition, you're now choosing between the 360 and the PS3. You really do have to look at the specifics of each, and think seriously about your gaming style, to see which matches you best. If I were to make a flip summarization, if you really love online gameplay, I'd go with the XBox 360. Its years of head-start really give it a robust environment here. If you are looking for more of a home-based media center for your MPs3, photos and huge world gameplay, I'd go with the PS3. It definitely has the advantage on large scale games.
Feel free to email me if you have more specific questions, or for screenshots, graphic descriptions, or interface information on any of the three systems.
Resistance was good but did not look as good as Gears of War on the 360. MotorStorm was fun but is not out yet and Lemmings was just interesting. A not-so-impressive opening lineup. I realized that I was waiting mainly for Lair to come out.
The system is cool... I really wanted to like it but the cons out-weigh the pros at this point. We downloaded update version 1.31 but that made no difference.
The Pros: Blu-Ray player, wireless controllers, nice touch sensitive disk eject, memory card reader for backwards compatibility.
The Cons: Poor launch line-up, glitches during blu-ray playback, awkward positioning of the R2 and L2 buttons underneath the controller (different than on the ps2), no replaceable battery in the controllers, short usb cable if controller battery dies, way too expensive to start out a new system, limited customization settings in the control panel, ps2 games looked awful displayed on the ps3
Overall: I really wanted to like this system and kept finding reasons to keep it but I finally boiled it down to what I really liked and not what I hoped to like. I ultimately prefer HD DVD to Blu Ray (I have the hd dvd player for my 360) and I think Xbox Live has Sony's online system beat. There are very few exclusive games for any one system now and I think the 360 coming out first made a difference. We enjoy the feel of the 360 better than the PS3.
I'm not saying we won't buy another one in a few months but I just couldn't see spending $600 (system and extra controller plus tax) right now when there are so many great games out there for the 360 that I could play now.
At one point I thought I'd just keep this for the kids and my eventual benefit as Sony continues updating and making it better through firmware upgrades... then I came down one morning to find the kids had hooked up their ps2 and used that instead of the ps3 (even though I had loaded everything from their memory cards on the ps3)... they just preferred the $100 ps2 to the $500 ps3... that was the final straw.
We packed it up and returned it to let some other person with money to burn to buy it.
I'll wait a few months before buying a PS3 again. Thanks for reading.
Just like the 60GB model, this system has full hardware backwards compatibility and will play the vast majority of PS2 games very well. Replaying Metal Gear Solid 3 on the system, there was noticeable improvement in some of the game's loading from my old PS2, and the game looked great upscaled over HDMI.
There are three drawbacks I can think of with this modelwhich are easily addressed for the most part.
1. The 20GB Hard drive fills up very quickly on the PS3, even if you're just using the system for gaming and not as a media hub. The game I purchased with the system, Metal Gear Solid 4 took up 4.5 GB on it's own. Thankfully, it's cheap and simple to drop a much larger SATA laptop drive into the system.
2. This is the only Playstation 3 model that does NOT include built-in Wi-Fi and Sony doesn't have an officially supported adapter. That's a pretty big drawback since so many of the PS3's cool features are online. A gaming ethernet bridge does a pretty good job of taking care of this.
3. No media card slotsI can't plug a compact flash card into my PS3 like the 60GB models can... oh, wait. Why would I want to plug media cards into my system anyways? If I did, it would be as simple as buying a $6 hub.
So, if you want a system that plays all your Playstation games and have a wired internet connection, I highly suggest giving this PS3 model a look. It doesn't fetch the premium price that the 60GB units currently are and its drawbacks are easily addressed.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I'm gonna make this simple , the 20gb , 60gb , and early 80gb versions are the only ps3 models that support ps2 playback, only drawback on the 20gb is there is no built in WiFi .But ethernet allows faster downloads and wifi supposedly makes anything run hotter . I had a 40gb ps3 and its the same except obviously ps2 backwards compatibility and wifi. also there are 4 usb slots instead of 2. If you want ps2 support for your future ps3 get a original model ! But if you can care less get a 40gb , newer 80gb or 160gb .Its all about personal preference ! but get a ps3 .Best Deals for PlayStation 3 (20GB)
We got our hands on an XBox 360, a PS3, and a Wii on launch day. Each is good at specific tasks. Here is a fully unbiased review of how the PS3 performs as a next generation console unit.To start with, the PS3, like the XBox 360, supports full high definition. The Wii only supports a lower resolution. Since the Wii has a much lower price tag, that is a fair trade-off for people with a tighter budget. Gamers for whom a very high level of graphic detail is important will have to pony up for that ability.
Along the same lines, the XBox 360 supports the HD format of high definition DVDs for movies, while the PS3 supports the Blu-ray format. If you haven't been following the whole format war for high definition DVDs, I have several articles on the topic on my gaming site. In short it's like the VHS/Beta wars when the VCR first came out. Is one better than the other? Will one format win out as the sole survivor? There's no way to tell. People will argue vehemently that one is better than the other. From a gaming point of view, the PS3 has the Blu-ray BUILT IN meaning every game can have 50 GIGS worth of game information. Think MASSIVELY huge maps, types of characters, etc. The XBox 360 only uses "regular" DVDs as its base game holder, which is 7 GIG. That is much smaller. You can buy an add-on HD DVD unit for about $100 but the storage is still smaller than Blu-ray about 30 gig.
People will argue about graphics until they're blue :) A lot of this comes down to how a specific game company *uses* the ability of the system. Looking at graphics on a tetris-like game will be much different than viewing the graphics of Oblivion or Gears of War. I found 360 graphics amazing on Oblivion. I equally found the PS3 graphics quite impressive on Genji's cut scenes (no enemy crabs in sight). Since both are high definition, I think that both have the same potential in real life terms. Both really shine in terms of fluid motion, precise detail and realism. I've seen it on both systems, on certain games. I've also seen junky graphics on both systems. Both are much better than the Wii.
How about sound? All of these can plug into your stereo system. My boyfriend and I are both musicians. We have decibel meters and other sound-sensing tools. All three systems can create amazingly complex sounds, music, and in general a "gaming environment". Again I think it comes down to specific game makers, how they choose to use or not use that ability. It also comes down to how much you the gamer spent on your stereo system :)
Speaking of sound, I do have to comment that our 360 is quite loud when it runs, despite our many attempts to help it be quieter. The PS3 right out of the box is MUCH quieter. Score 1 point for the PS3.
On the general operating system for the units, all three consoles are going for more of a "general use entertainment system" presentation. The XBox has customizeable tabs that let you download new games, manage your environment and so on. The Wii also has channels that let you organize your gaming world. The PS3 has an interface almost exactly like that of the PSP, complete with cool drifting smoke waves in the background. You choose which area you want to work on game, music, internet connection etc., and drop down to alter whatever feature you're interested in.
So on to the on-line aspect, which most gamers are now fully interested in. Where the XBox 360 makes you buy an external connector for wireless, the PS3 has that built-in on the 60 gig model. The 20 gig model still requires an external connector (these run about $100). All will let you plug in a cable if you're still running a wired household.
As a side comment on that, the XBox 360 has a 20 gig hard drive. However, they take up about 12 gig of that with their base system. So really you get 8 gig "free" for other things. Now, 8 gig might sound like a lot. But I still remember when the PS2 first came out and everyone was raving about the 8mb memory cards, how you could never possibly fill one of those up. We now have 8 memory cards and all are pretty much full. I have no doubt that 8 gig or even 20 gig is going to fill quickly. With the PS3 you at least do have that option for the 60 gig and it is really worth it. With the 360 your only option is to get an add-on drive to in essence back up the content you're not currently using and free up the main drive.
How does the online world work on the PS3? The XBox definitely has the advantage here. Until this generation, *only* the XBox had a thriving community in their live world. The XBox 360 connected right into that XBox Live world, and they boast a *huge* community of gamers who actively gain points, play online and form virtual worlds. The PS3 and Wii both have to play catch-up at this point. Even if they have better interfaces, it's a matter of converting over all those players who have clans, familiarity and high point collections on the XBox world. Imagine if a new MMORPG came out right now that had fantastic graphics. Sure it might be wonderful but will you really get all 800 trillion WOW players to drop their world and characters and friends to convert, especially if it costs more? It'll be a hard, slow sell.
My summary? I definitely think all three have great games and that all three are worth owning. Of course I'm in a position that I *can* afford all three, which many people are not in. For example, I *love* the Zelda series, and I *love* the Final Fantasy series. I would be hard put to tell a person "you need to get Zelda instead of Final Fantasy". I would want the person to have both, because both are great for different reasons. If you really truly can only save up for one of the three consoles this holiday season, it isn't going to come down to which console is "best" for all players in some sort of a global way. It is going to come down to which console is best for YOU based on your specific gaming style.
If you're on a really tight budget and just want something better than the previous generation, go for a Wii. It's cheap, the graphics are better, and the remotes are great fun. It has Zelda :) If you have a larger budget and really want the high definition, you're now choosing between the 360 and the PS3. You really do have to look at the specifics of each, and think seriously about your gaming style, to see which matches you best. If I were to make a flip summarization, if you really love online gameplay, I'd go with the XBox 360. Its years of head-start really give it a robust environment here. If you are looking for more of a home-based media center for your MPs3, photos and huge world gameplay, I'd go with the PS3. It definitely has the advantage on large scale games.
Feel free to email me if you have more specific questions, or for screenshots, graphic descriptions, or interface information on any of the three systems.
Honest reviews on PlayStation 3 (20GB)
I was getting a little worried with a lot of negative reviews I was reading about the PS3. So much so that at one point I actually considered a Wii. Thankfully I stuck with what I really wanted and though it's only been two weeks I'm loving this thing. Sure I wish there were more games out at launch but I know they're coming. Besides at $50-$60 a pop for games it's not like I have the cash to just buy a stack of games at one time anyway. I have Resistance, Madden '07, and Need for Speed: Carbon. I'm happy with what I'm seeing so far. I like the wireless controllers though like a little kid I sit close enough to the TV to use a wired one. The graphics and sound are awesome. I'm curious to see what game developers will come up with when they don't have a strict launch deadline to meet and can really use this machine to its potential. There are a lot more Blu-ray titles available than I thought so I'll pick up a few and test the player more. The unit does produce a lot of heat so that comment I'm sure you've read elsewhere is true. I haven't tried the online network so I can't comment on that. One thing I will note is that the operating software had to be updated before it would play a game so if you don't have a high speed internet connection forget about using it right out of the box. Overall I'm happy I took the plunge. One more point. I don't think you have to have a HDTV to use a PS3 but to really appreciate it you should use something other than a standard tube. I have a 42" Panasonic EDTV so it's not full high def but it can receive up to a 1080i signal and man it makes a difference. Wow.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for PlayStation 3 (20GB)
We are a family that plays games and enjoys them. The kids have theirs, my wife has hers and I have mine. We have a 360 and a ps2 and just returned (that's right... returned) our PS3 with a 20gb hard drive. I was very excited to get it and hooked it up with hdmi and network cables as soon as I got home and watched Ricky Bobby that night on blu-ray. The system froze twice while watching the movie and it would only display in 1080i or 480p (my tv looks best in 720p and the ps3 would not display this). We went to the online store and downloaded motorstorm and resistance as well as lemmings to try out. They all took an incredibly long time and the store was very slow to load even though we are connected via DSL.Resistance was good but did not look as good as Gears of War on the 360. MotorStorm was fun but is not out yet and Lemmings was just interesting. A not-so-impressive opening lineup. I realized that I was waiting mainly for Lair to come out.
The system is cool... I really wanted to like it but the cons out-weigh the pros at this point. We downloaded update version 1.31 but that made no difference.
The Pros: Blu-Ray player, wireless controllers, nice touch sensitive disk eject, memory card reader for backwards compatibility.
The Cons: Poor launch line-up, glitches during blu-ray playback, awkward positioning of the R2 and L2 buttons underneath the controller (different than on the ps2), no replaceable battery in the controllers, short usb cable if controller battery dies, way too expensive to start out a new system, limited customization settings in the control panel, ps2 games looked awful displayed on the ps3
Overall: I really wanted to like this system and kept finding reasons to keep it but I finally boiled it down to what I really liked and not what I hoped to like. I ultimately prefer HD DVD to Blu Ray (I have the hd dvd player for my 360) and I think Xbox Live has Sony's online system beat. There are very few exclusive games for any one system now and I think the 360 coming out first made a difference. We enjoy the feel of the 360 better than the PS3.
I'm not saying we won't buy another one in a few months but I just couldn't see spending $600 (system and extra controller plus tax) right now when there are so many great games out there for the 360 that I could play now.
At one point I thought I'd just keep this for the kids and my eventual benefit as Sony continues updating and making it better through firmware upgrades... then I came down one morning to find the kids had hooked up their ps2 and used that instead of the ps3 (even though I had loaded everything from their memory cards on the ps3)... they just preferred the $100 ps2 to the $500 ps3... that was the final straw.
We packed it up and returned it to let some other person with money to burn to buy it.
I'll wait a few months before buying a PS3 again. Thanks for reading.
Portal 2 - Xbox 360 Review
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $22.90
Today's Bonus: 24% Off
Portal 2 really has it all. The characters are likable, the story line is engaging and intriguing, and the game play requires you to use your brain. Having played Portal 1, I can say that in my opinion this game is better.
I have to start with Wheatley. This character is voiced by Stephen Merchant, who is from The Ricky Gervais Show and An Idiot Abroad. He's hilarious in his own right, and he voice acts Wheatley to perfection. You can't overstate just how much Stephen Merchant's voice talents lend to the success of this title.
Depending on your ability to solve the puzzles quickly, Portal 2 will give you anywhere from 10-13 hours of game play with a single player play through. There's more, though! Portal 2 has a co-op mode, so you and a friend can take on the Portal 2 landscape together, which is a lot of fun. The downside of all puzzle games, of course, is that the replay value is relatively low. That shouldn't disuade anyone from purchasing this game, though. It's that much fun.
The puzzles are definitely challenging and require you to think, but they're not unreasonable to the point you want to quit in frustration.
I gave it a 4 out of 5 overall due to the replay value not being high. This should not take away from the game itself in any way. It was handicapped from the get go just due to the genre. Had they added the ability for users to create and upload their own puzzles to the rest of the Portal 2 community, this game would get a solid 5 out of 5 from me.
Portal 2 is a great game worthy of your collection.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I know a lot of people are going to write excellent reviews about game play etc. I wanted to make a quick note about how outstandingly funny this game is. The comedic writing is excellent throughout, the timing and general performances (from Stephen Merchant in particular, but the whole cast too) are spot on and I have been laughing out loud while playing the game on my own. I never laugh when I'm alone.The game is rated E for everyone, but I'm pretty sure that some of the jokes might go slightly over a 8 year-old's head. That is a huge plus in my book. I have played a few other Xbox360 games that were supposedly funny (Battlefield Bad Company 1 + 2 for example), and they left me cold. Juvenile this game is not.
So yeah: Challenging puzzles, original and hilarious writing. What more could you ask for?
Best Deals for Portal 2 - Xbox 360
I've only played the 2 player, but I'll update after I finish the single player campaign:Wow, just wow. When I got this game, the first thing I did with a pal was tear into the coop. This is one of the freshest, most original games in a long time. Having 4 portals is just insane. The map is divided into what are essentially "worlds" connected to a large hub, and you select which you want to go in. At first my friend and I were worried because we were flying through it, but suddenly right in the middle of world 2 we had to slow waaaay down and really think it through. It only gets harder from there, but never unbearable. Glados also keeps the mood up with constant cracks at the players, so just when you start to get frustrated, she'll say something to make you laugh.
CONCERNING CAMPAIGN LENGTH: I have 3 sections left in what is the last "world", but it's safe to say that the coop campaign length clocks in at roughly 7 hours.
There are a multitude of fps's released so far this year and most of them feel very much like you've played them before. If you want a truly unique experience, pick this up.
Honest reviews on Portal 2 - Xbox 360
Creative, entertaining and extremely funny. I wish there were more games like this for the Xbox. Unfortunately, it seems that they all involve massive amounts of blood and gore instead of thought provoking puzzles.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Portal 2 - Xbox 360
I am really enjoying this game. The puzzles are challenging and game play is fun. Beware though if you have issues with motion sickness. I can only get through about 20 minutes of gameplay before I get queasy. Online, I found many people suffering from the same problem. It has not stopped me from playing!Thursday, November 6, 2014
Discount 320GB HDD Hard Drive Disk Kit FOR XBOX 360 320G Internal Slim Black
its been three months since I've had this xBox HD. Works as advertised, fits just like the OEM version.
If using it with the 4GB xBox Arcade version it will mount as an additional drive NOT replacing the internal HD. This means when doing game saves you have to select one of the two drives. No option to set a default drive. For the price I can live with that.
If using it with the 4GB xBox Arcade version it will mount as an additional drive NOT replacing the internal HD. This means when doing game saves you have to select one of the two drives. No option to set a default drive. For the price I can live with that.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Worked out of the box perfectly. Unpack, open Xbox 360 side panel, slide in hard drive, close back up, turn on Xbox and it's there and ready to store data. :)Best Deals for 320GB HDD Hard Drive Disk Kit FOR XBOX 360 320G Internal Slim Black
I purchased this for our xbox and it could not have been simpler. No more kids complaining about hard drive space!!! Works just like the one for $130.Honest reviews on 320GB HDD Hard Drive Disk Kit FOR XBOX 360 320G Internal Slim Black
The HD was just what i wanted. Works perfect. Except that it came with around 290gb instead of 320gb. But otherwise. I recommend!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for 320GB HDD Hard Drive Disk Kit FOR XBOX 360 320G Internal Slim Black
BUY IT! My Xbox 360s now has so much memory, I don't even know what to do with myself, I am able to install all my games so they run nice and smooth. It also tricks your Xbox into thinking its a genuine Microsoft hard drive.Saturday, November 1, 2014
Best Turtle Beach Ear Force DX11 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound Headset Bundle Deals
I bought this headset from Best Buy when it first came out. My brother has the Turtle Beach X41, and I've gotta say, I love the DX11 so much more! This headset is much better than the X41s because you don't have to worry about charging multiple batteries since they only last a few hours of playing. The DSS Module is also much smaller than the X41's, and there is only one extra cord you have to worry about (connecting the headset itself to the DSS), but it's incredibly long so you don't have to worry about having to sit too close.
The headset itself is very similar to the X41, but it's not the exact same. This one feels a little lighter and actually stays on my head a little nicer than the X41. There are also no controls on the headset itself, as the bass boost and volume are moved to the DSS Module, while the chat and game volume controls are shown in the picture, which is about a foot and a half down wire from the headset. The mic is the standard mic on Turtle Beach headsets, allowing for near unlimited flexibility.
The sound quality is unbelievable. The bass the DSS Processor produces is amazing. In games, you can hear people's footsteps from far far away. I'm a Call of Duty player, and paired with Ninja/Pro, you can be unstoppable because you can figure out where everyone is. The only problem is that it also makes your footsteps quite loud, so Ninja is almost a necessity. I also plug this headset into my PC to listen to music. Listening to the Final Fantasy XIII OST on here conjures quite possibly the most soothing, amazing, awesome, uplifting, inspiring, straight-up emotional feelings you can get from any music period. The headset is worth the money just by its amazing ability to make any music you listen to so much better.
In all, this headset was the best investment I've ever made! Beautiful music/sound quality paired with being incredibly useful in video games make this headset worth well more than $140. I would also say that after shopping around for months trying to find the perfect headset, this could possibly be the one. Great buy, 5 stars.
Does not matter. These things sound so much better and event he surround effect is much better. I can pinpoint sounds much better and the headphones overall is much more comfortable.
The beauty is that is your headphones ever break you can buy another pair for $40 and plug it into the box and you are good to go. This is my first Turtle beach headphone and am very impressed when it's connected to the DX11 box. Fantastic product.
Also, with regards to price, the $130 tag on Amazon is ridiculous. Best Buy has them on sale for $109 in their B&M stores so, until the prices change, I'd suggest looking locally to buy rather than buying on Amazon.
I can't compare them to any other headphones but from my experience with these, I wouldn't buy any other ones. The only downfall is the wires but I would rather have to deal with wires than buying batteries all the time. Even rechargeable ones. I don't have to worry about sound cutting out in the middle of a heated battle.
The first time I played with the headphones, I was blown away. I even got some achievements that I don't think I would have gotten without them. My gaming experience has totally changed. You can hear people trying to creep up on you, bullets flying from the left or right side. It feels like you are in the game. You can even control how loud you want the voice chat.
Overall, TOTALLY AWESOME!!!
The headset itself is very similar to the X41, but it's not the exact same. This one feels a little lighter and actually stays on my head a little nicer than the X41. There are also no controls on the headset itself, as the bass boost and volume are moved to the DSS Module, while the chat and game volume controls are shown in the picture, which is about a foot and a half down wire from the headset. The mic is the standard mic on Turtle Beach headsets, allowing for near unlimited flexibility.
The sound quality is unbelievable. The bass the DSS Processor produces is amazing. In games, you can hear people's footsteps from far far away. I'm a Call of Duty player, and paired with Ninja/Pro, you can be unstoppable because you can figure out where everyone is. The only problem is that it also makes your footsteps quite loud, so Ninja is almost a necessity. I also plug this headset into my PC to listen to music. Listening to the Final Fantasy XIII OST on here conjures quite possibly the most soothing, amazing, awesome, uplifting, inspiring, straight-up emotional feelings you can get from any music period. The headset is worth the money just by its amazing ability to make any music you listen to so much better.
In all, this headset was the best investment I've ever made! Beautiful music/sound quality paired with being incredibly useful in video games make this headset worth well more than $140. I would also say that after shopping around for months trying to find the perfect headset, this could possibly be the one. Great buy, 5 stars.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I was a tritton 5.1 ax360 owner for 2 years. My headphone band snapped so I needed a new pair. I came across these and was a little worried. They are only have 2 speakers in the headphones vs my ax360 who had 4 in each ear.Does not matter. These things sound so much better and event he surround effect is much better. I can pinpoint sounds much better and the headphones overall is much more comfortable.
The beauty is that is your headphones ever break you can buy another pair for $40 and plug it into the box and you are good to go. This is my first Turtle beach headphone and am very impressed when it's connected to the DX11 box. Fantastic product.
Best Deals for Turtle Beach Ear Force DX11 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound Headset Bundle
This is a great pair of headphones. Beware, when buying, though: make sure that your X-Box360 is a new model that has an optical port. Without it, or an adapter (sold separately), you will not be able to connect the DSS that gives you the full Dolby 7.1 experience advertised. Without the DSS, these are literally just a $50 pair of X11s.Also, with regards to price, the $130 tag on Amazon is ridiculous. Best Buy has them on sale for $109 in their B&M stores so, until the prices change, I'd suggest looking locally to buy rather than buying on Amazon.
Honest reviews on Turtle Beach Ear Force DX11 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound Headset Bundle
I bought these because I didn't want to disturb my family at night while i game and compute. These things are loud and sound great. They feel great and i can wear them comfortably for hours and hours. Build quality isn't bad. I've had them for months and they're still just as good as they were when i bought them. The surround sound is great for pinpointing enemy locations if you're playing a shooter like MW3. You can tell exactly which direction the action is taking place at. The microphone works perfect and I can hear the chat convos perfectly. You can adjust the chat volume and game volume independently of each other, which is great if i want to hear more footsteps and less whining. The only things i didn't like about these was that they were white when my xbox is black. I wouldn't recommend it, but i took mine headset a part and spray painted the white parts black and they're just as black and shiny as my xbox now. Looks great, sounds great, feels great. Definite buy.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Turtle Beach Ear Force DX11 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound Headset Bundle
I bought these at Best Buy with some gift cards that I was saving. If I didn't have the gift cards, I am not sure I would have spent $99 to buy them..... BUT they are totally worth it. The sound is amazing! You can hear everything. They are also very light & comfortable. I gamed for hours as well as watched movies with them and they didn't bother me a bit.I can't compare them to any other headphones but from my experience with these, I wouldn't buy any other ones. The only downfall is the wires but I would rather have to deal with wires than buying batteries all the time. Even rechargeable ones. I don't have to worry about sound cutting out in the middle of a heated battle.
The first time I played with the headphones, I was blown away. I even got some achievements that I don't think I would have gotten without them. My gaming experience has totally changed. You can hear people trying to creep up on you, bullets flying from the left or right side. It feels like you are in the game. You can even control how loud you want the voice chat.
Overall, TOTALLY AWESOME!!!
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Cheap PlayStation Vita - WiFi
A few hours since delivery... I'm impressed. Just about everything about the PSV: display, controls, features, the games top of the line. This is a gaming machine that shouts "quality" and, after the first few hours of playing Uncharted and a couple of small games off the PSN, I can say that I've had the best portable gaming experience ever we currently have a PSP and a DSi in the house plus a couple of tablets and smart phones.
Briefly and I will update my review as I experience more of the PSV these are my findings so far.
HARDWARE AND FEATURES
I'm not going to get into details because Amazon's page has it all. Yes, it's quad-core this, and super-high-rez display that but what counts is that it translates into a super-smooth gaming experience with a bunch of non-gaming capabilities on top. I'm surprised how immersive playing a game on such a small screen with such tiny speakers can be. And it is so for a couple of reasons.
the sharpest, best looking display I've seen on a portable
the dual analog sticks make all the difference Sony learned from past mistakes
the back touch panel are something that it's better to experience because it's the one clear innovation on this machine and it won't give you headaches (sorry Nintendo :) )
games can be either downloaded or purchased and shared on physical media like I said, Sony is learning from past mistakes (sorry PSP Go)
seamless integration with the PS3 and the Playstation Network
a bunch of great multimedia apps including Netflix I'll have more to say about these after I stop playing Uncharted :)
cameras more later but I heard that some games allow you to build characters that look just like you
THE GAMING EXPERIENCE
Anyone who has a PS3 or a PSP should feel very familiar with the PSV. All the PS3 controls are there although some of the buttons are smaller. Add to that the 'touch' capabilities on both front and back with support for gestures and the gaming possibilities are almost endless. Because of its high resolution, there can be a lot happening at the same time on the PSV's screen and, don't forget, you can also feel the action while playing.
I don't feel like doing comparisons at this time but anyone who claims that the PSV is no big deal because we can play games on our phones should experience the PSV and then consider revising their statements. Vita can easily play any one-dollar game that a phone can play and I'm sure we'll get a couple of those and Vita can do just about everything a smart phone or tablet can do and most of the time do it better, but no phone or tablet can play Uncharted and no 'next generation' phone or tablet is likely to be able to play Uncharted or Little Big Planet. And, let's not forget that the Vita costs a less than most smart phones.
EVERYTHING ELSE
I haven't had time to explore all of Vita's features yet but, they're all in there. Multimedia, wireless connectivity, music playback... it's all in there. Add to that one of the best laid out, intuitive and responsive user interfaces and even non gamers should be happy to have a Vita around.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
A couple of things. The most annoying is, of course, the hyper-overpriced memory card. You can't play 'big games' without one and Sony decided to make lots of money on this proprietary 'must have' add-on which is anything but optional. Then there's of course Sony not making the Passport program available in the US. We have a PSP and lots of games on UMDs. Not being able to play them on the Vita is very frustrating.
Other than that... perhaps I should have titled my review 'gamer changer' because the Vita is likely to change me into a more active portable player. I used to prefer the PS3 over the PSP but I'm not sure this will always be the case in the future. I know that I won't put the Vita down until I'm done with Uncharted and once I complete that there are at least half a dozen games available on lunch date that I'd like to play.
Oh and... I don't really like sharing our Vita with the kids at this time but I have to :)
____________________________________________
NOTES OF CAUTION
Before deciding whether you want to buy a Vita and as you are budgeting for one, keep the following in mind:
* SINGLE-USER SYSTEM or so it is meant to be at this time. Like the PSP, the Vita will recognize only ONE account. Unlike the PS3, you can't have other members of your family or friends log with a sub-account. If you are planning to share the PSV, Sony suggests that individual users keep their game saves on separate memory cards but you will still be logged on the Vita as the one user who 'owns' it.
* TROPHIES A Sony representative confirmed to me that only the 'owner' will get credit for the trophies, no matter who may be earning them during gameplay because the PSV only recognized one user.
* DOWNLOADS If you buy a 'download' you will have to download that game on each of your family members memory cards who wish to play that game individually.
* MEMORY CARDS SIZE see above for the multiple users scenario. In addition, get the biggest memory card you can possibly afford. The size of downloaded games tends to be enormous. Uncharted alone is 3.2 GB which is just about all that a 4 GB card can hold. Most games I care about seem to be 2 GB or larger.
* DON'T PLAN ON BUYING MANY DOWNLOADABLE GAMES see above. Half a dozen downloaded games would fill up your 16 GB memory card with little room for anything else. I would buy games on physical media whenever possible.
--
>> Brush your teeth, it's the law!
The Good:
The Vita is a beautiful design, and it feels very solid in your hands. It's nice to finally have dual analog sticks, and the touch screen is very smooth and responsive. The rear touch pad has added an interesting new dimension to several games, such as Escape Plan and Mutant Blobs Attack.
The Vita's 5" screen is sharp and vibrant, vastly improved over the PSP. Look up 'mBVi3KbHPgY' on Youtube for a comparison of Hot Shots Golf on the Vita vs PSP. The Vita blows away the PSP!
The speakers are a definite improvement over my PSP, the sounds during Escape Plan were just amazing.
Speaker volume controls are under your right index finger, the perfect position!
Attaching the Vita to a PS3: I have a wireless keyboard receiver and USB mini-B cable coming off my PS3, so there are no open USB ports up front. I use the mini-B cable to charge my PS3 controller, and to attach my PSP. The PS Vita uses a new proprietary USB cable, so I found this adapter on Amazon that allows me to attach the Vita to the USB mini-B cable:
Your Cable Store USB Female A To USB Mini Female B 5 Pin Adapter
The Not-So-Good:
No video-out capability, which given the Vita's high resolution graphics is unfortunate.
The battery life has been decent for me so far, but a friend tells me that during an intense Uncharted gaming session, a full battery is empty in less than 3 hours.
>
Cross-Platform Play & Remote Play: Most games are not compatible. Sony should change their webpage to say "Planned for Summer or Fall 2012 release", because right now this just doesn't work for most games.
Video file playback: The PS Vita is limited to specific MP4 and H.264 file types. Forget about avi, wmv, mkv, DVD files, etc. without doing a lengthy file conversion first. Android phone and tablet owners can download the free 'MX Player' application that will play back just about any video format, but Sony Vita owners don't have that option. I can copy a TV show from my home theater PC and watch it on my 5-inch Android tablet, but on the Vita the file will not play.
The Web Browser -This is just not up to par for a handheld released in 2012. I expect to rotate the Vita in my hand and have the browser change from portrait to landscape mode, but this DOES NOT WORK. I went to Youtube to check the latest FPS Russia video, and look for a video review of Hot Shots Golf, but this DOES NOT WORK. The Vita does not support Youtube, PERIOD. Then I went to Amazon's home page to check the daily Lightning Deals, and this DOES NOT WORK. Lastly, I was on movietickets(dot)com to buy some tickets to the show, and the Vita's browser DOES NOT WORK. Maybe there will be a browser update, or maybe we can buy the Dolphin HD or Opera browser in the Playstation Store in the near future, but as of right now, the Vita browser is limited.
>
The first decision to make is how to buy the games, either Digital Download from the Playstation Store or order the physical game cartridge from Amazon.
We should support Amazon and buy the game cartridges here, for several reasons:
+game carts can be traded with friends, traded-in for store credit, or re-sold for cash. Digital downloads from the Sony PlayStation Store are locked to your online account and have zero resale or trade-in value.
+when I insert the Uncharted game cart into my Vita, in just a few seconds I have transferred 3.2 gigabytes of gaming goodness into my Vita. In comparison, the digital download might take several hours, then it has to be transferred from the PC or PS3 to the Vita using the slow USB cable. Then 3.2 gigabytes of memory card space is needed to hold the Uncharted game, memory space which is worth about 10 d0llars.
+physical game cards will naturally go down in price over time, due to normal supply & demand. For example, Pilotwings and Nintendogs were both launch titles for the 3DS, and they are now selling for HALF the price of launch day. Digital downloads may never see those kind of normal, market price adjustments. For examples of this, just look at PSP game prices on the Playstation Store, then compare to the better Amazon pricing.
Of course there are some games exclusively on the Playstation Store, but they are usually priced lower and with smaller file sizes. For example, Mutant Blobs Attack and Escape Plan are two excellent games that don't take long to download and are a great value.
>
I started out with Hotshots Golf, Lumines, and Rayman Origins.
I've played Hotshots Golf ever since the PS1 days, but this new Vita edition is still a blast to play, and looks great. Lumines is fun too, I was a big fan of Lumines 1 & 2 on the PSP.
Rayman Origins looks amazing and is fun, but I think it's the exact same game that is already on the PS3 and XBox360.
In the PS Store, I bought Escape Plan and Mutant Blobs attack, both highly recommended! My next purchase will be Super Stardust Delta, another great title.
Next I tried some PSP games on the Vita: Pinball Fantasies and Pinball Dreams are Mini's that work great on the Vita, they look better here than on the PSP. Also, Capcom Classics Collection works fine on the Vita.
>
The Playstation Store is part of the PS Vita experience. Even if we buy all our games here on Amazon, there are still a few online exclusives that must be purchased and downloaded from Sony.
I was browsing the store on my PS3, and found 27 Vita games were available for purchase. 18 of these games included a Preview, showing either screen shots or video clips. The other 9 showed nothing, expecting us to buy these games sight unseen, or go do our own research.
I can't believe that Sony still doesn't get it. EVERY game in the store should have a Preview. Sony should require it of the publishers. That's the way Microsoft runs their online store. Microsoft wants to be up-front and honest and lay the cards on the table, so there's no buyers remorse. Almost every game in the Microsoft store also has a free trial download. Sony could take a lesson from them.
Ok so then I went to the Playstation Store from my Vita, and was surprised to see that NONE of the games for sale had Preview screen shots or videos. Unbelievable!
>
The PS Vita is a beauty to behold, a BIG step-up from the PSP, with some truly good launch games.
Now Sony needs to bring their A-game and fix some of Vita's shortcomings. Make the PS Store more user friendly, get Remote Play and Cross Platform Play working, as advertised, and fix the browser. How can ANY handheld not support Youtube in 2012? Lastly, how about a better app for video playback?
----------------------------------
UPDATE May-30-2012
There is now a javascript webpage available that allows Sony Vita owners to watch Youtube videos! The downside is that you have to download the entire video to your memory card before you can watch it, there is no video streaming or previewing available. Just lookup 'vita youtube' on Youtube.
The Vita has been out for 6 months now, why can't Sony give us a proper Youtube application? Samsung and Apple (and others) support Youtube just fine, they get the job done for their customers.
The Playstation Vita itself a beautiful piece of hardware itself with:
5in. OLED touchscreen that puts out ridiculous resolutions.
back touchpad like what you would use on your laptop
two analog sticks like your PS3 or 360 controller
and feels light but having the weight of something premium
A front facing and rear facing camera just like an iPhone
The OLED screen is gorgeous and you will never have a problem being able to read or touch anything on your screen. Also the power button has been placed on top of the unit to prevent accidental pushes while the headphone jack is underneath to prevent pulling anything out. The analog sticks themselves, while on the small side, are just as responsive and intuitive as their larger cousins on the PS3 Dualshock. Overall the unit is sleek, sexy, and pretty darn cool to hold and look at.
However there are some cons:
The right analog stick is a few centimeters away from the X button on the Vita. For people with smaller hand sizes this won't be a problem but as I have larger hands, I noticed my thumb will accidentally hit the stick while I press buttons. Not a big factor but slightly annoying.
The analog sticks themselves are fine but as I said before, people with large hands will have to learn how to adapt to using them. Hey, if we can text paragraphs at the speed of sound on an iPhone, a small joystick is a piece of cake.
Onto the actual software of the Vita, from the get go, Sony walks you through every step of the way while setting up your Vita. From accessing your Playstation Network account to applying for the AT&T Data plan (if you bought the 3G/WiFi model) to even adjusting the time, it's all done in an easy way. I was very impressed. Moving onward you have "apps" such as:
Welcome Park: A mini-game filled app that helps you learn all the features of your Vita and does it in an easy to understand manner. Even a child could understand this app.
Near: AN app that allows you to "see" other users in a few mile radius who also have Vitas. From here you can send friend requests, rate games, and even leave gifts for other users to find. Very neat.
Party: The biggest app you should pay attention too. It's basically Xbox Live on the Vita. You can add people to your party from different games, and talk to them (Yes I said talk!) on your Vita while doing other things. This is the killer app of Vita in my opinion.
Netflix: Looks amazing on the OLED screen.
Freetweet: Lets you post tweets on Twitter while playing games
etc.
I could go on and on but the interface on the Vita is very easy to navigate as all of your apps are cute bubbles you can move around just like on an iPhone. Also, you can press the Playstation button on your Vita and it will 'suspend' your current game or app (just like an iPhone) and let you "tear" the page away to delete it. Very cool.
CONCLUSION: This is where I have to draw the line. As a smartphone user who plays games on my phone, I see the value in the Vita as it provides social and gaming experiences that you truly cannot find anywhere else. The only thing a Vita doesn't do is make phone calls and even then the Vita is getting a Skype app soon to allow you to make calls. However, I know there will be people who don't need to have a Vita when their iPhone gets the job done and that is perfectly fine. However, if you want to take that next step and buy quite possibly the greatest gaming handheld ever made (Yes I can say that with a straight face), then get a Vita. It really is a gamechanger. :)
This PS Vita does the trick! Although I no longer sit down for hours and "game" anymore, I still get this real desire to play a high production or fast twitch game, but could never justify leaving my family to feed this small addiction. Now I can lie in bed and play for 30 minutes before crashing (while my wife shakes her head) and get that feeling like I'm playing a counsel in my hand...quite amazing and something that swiping on my Phone and Ipad could never seem to do.
PROS:
Great Screen
Great Controls (takes about 10 min to get used to)
Great product for the stage of life I'm in
CONS:
Pricy
Uncertain future of device and games
I'd recommend this product for those who have less free time as they used to have, but still enjoy playing a (high production) game here and there!
The Vita overall is an exceptional piece of gaming hardware.
PROS:
-OLED is clear, vivid, and best of all pretty resistant to finger prints.
-PSN is responsive and easy to use.
-Dual analog stick 100% functional (unlike the nub).
-Rear touch pad is innovative and very responsive.
-Front touch works as well as any apple device I've ever owned.
CONS:
-Battery life (5-6 hours with brightness down).
-No PS1 classic support as of 02-23-2012(there are plans to add support down the road per SONY).
I believe that the Vita is where Sony finally got it right, this is the first handheld from them that I love almost as much as I did my GBA.
Mobile gaming is nice, but the PSP was very dated. iPhone games are not in depth enough for me, and most are too casual. iPad, same story. I bought a 3DS hoping for better graphics and games, and it just sucked. What a let down. Then, Nintendo pulls the price drop stunt to infuriate us already disappointed early adopters. I went back to my PSP.
I bought a PSVita on launch day-and it is EVERYTHING I'd hoped for. The screen is big, but not too big. The graphics are incredible. I picked up Uncharted, Wipeout and Ninja Gaiden-and they're incredible. The processing power of this thing is insane. The controls are all smooth and fluid, I mean this thing is near PS3 quality gaming experience-in a handheld!
To make it even better, the launch titles are all mostly very good, and a large variety. Also, tons of my favorite PSP titles are available in the Playstation Store already! The prices are reasonable, too.
I'm telling you, if you are sick of Angry Birds, mad at Nintendo over the 3DS mess, there is hope for us all. Get this thing. It is amazing.
Briefly and I will update my review as I experience more of the PSV these are my findings so far.
HARDWARE AND FEATURES
I'm not going to get into details because Amazon's page has it all. Yes, it's quad-core this, and super-high-rez display that but what counts is that it translates into a super-smooth gaming experience with a bunch of non-gaming capabilities on top. I'm surprised how immersive playing a game on such a small screen with such tiny speakers can be. And it is so for a couple of reasons.
the sharpest, best looking display I've seen on a portable
the dual analog sticks make all the difference Sony learned from past mistakes
the back touch panel are something that it's better to experience because it's the one clear innovation on this machine and it won't give you headaches (sorry Nintendo :) )
games can be either downloaded or purchased and shared on physical media like I said, Sony is learning from past mistakes (sorry PSP Go)
seamless integration with the PS3 and the Playstation Network
a bunch of great multimedia apps including Netflix I'll have more to say about these after I stop playing Uncharted :)
cameras more later but I heard that some games allow you to build characters that look just like you
THE GAMING EXPERIENCE
Anyone who has a PS3 or a PSP should feel very familiar with the PSV. All the PS3 controls are there although some of the buttons are smaller. Add to that the 'touch' capabilities on both front and back with support for gestures and the gaming possibilities are almost endless. Because of its high resolution, there can be a lot happening at the same time on the PSV's screen and, don't forget, you can also feel the action while playing.
I don't feel like doing comparisons at this time but anyone who claims that the PSV is no big deal because we can play games on our phones should experience the PSV and then consider revising their statements. Vita can easily play any one-dollar game that a phone can play and I'm sure we'll get a couple of those and Vita can do just about everything a smart phone or tablet can do and most of the time do it better, but no phone or tablet can play Uncharted and no 'next generation' phone or tablet is likely to be able to play Uncharted or Little Big Planet. And, let's not forget that the Vita costs a less than most smart phones.
EVERYTHING ELSE
I haven't had time to explore all of Vita's features yet but, they're all in there. Multimedia, wireless connectivity, music playback... it's all in there. Add to that one of the best laid out, intuitive and responsive user interfaces and even non gamers should be happy to have a Vita around.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
A couple of things. The most annoying is, of course, the hyper-overpriced memory card. You can't play 'big games' without one and Sony decided to make lots of money on this proprietary 'must have' add-on which is anything but optional. Then there's of course Sony not making the Passport program available in the US. We have a PSP and lots of games on UMDs. Not being able to play them on the Vita is very frustrating.
Other than that... perhaps I should have titled my review 'gamer changer' because the Vita is likely to change me into a more active portable player. I used to prefer the PS3 over the PSP but I'm not sure this will always be the case in the future. I know that I won't put the Vita down until I'm done with Uncharted and once I complete that there are at least half a dozen games available on lunch date that I'd like to play.
Oh and... I don't really like sharing our Vita with the kids at this time but I have to :)
____________________________________________
NOTES OF CAUTION
Before deciding whether you want to buy a Vita and as you are budgeting for one, keep the following in mind:
* SINGLE-USER SYSTEM or so it is meant to be at this time. Like the PSP, the Vita will recognize only ONE account. Unlike the PS3, you can't have other members of your family or friends log with a sub-account. If you are planning to share the PSV, Sony suggests that individual users keep their game saves on separate memory cards but you will still be logged on the Vita as the one user who 'owns' it.
* TROPHIES A Sony representative confirmed to me that only the 'owner' will get credit for the trophies, no matter who may be earning them during gameplay because the PSV only recognized one user.
* DOWNLOADS If you buy a 'download' you will have to download that game on each of your family members memory cards who wish to play that game individually.
* MEMORY CARDS SIZE see above for the multiple users scenario. In addition, get the biggest memory card you can possibly afford. The size of downloaded games tends to be enormous. Uncharted alone is 3.2 GB which is just about all that a 4 GB card can hold. Most games I care about seem to be 2 GB or larger.
* DON'T PLAN ON BUYING MANY DOWNLOADABLE GAMES see above. Half a dozen downloaded games would fill up your 16 GB memory card with little room for anything else. I would buy games on physical media whenever possible.
--
>> Brush your teeth, it's the law!
The Good:
The Vita is a beautiful design, and it feels very solid in your hands. It's nice to finally have dual analog sticks, and the touch screen is very smooth and responsive. The rear touch pad has added an interesting new dimension to several games, such as Escape Plan and Mutant Blobs Attack.
The Vita's 5" screen is sharp and vibrant, vastly improved over the PSP. Look up 'mBVi3KbHPgY' on Youtube for a comparison of Hot Shots Golf on the Vita vs PSP. The Vita blows away the PSP!
The speakers are a definite improvement over my PSP, the sounds during Escape Plan were just amazing.
Speaker volume controls are under your right index finger, the perfect position!
Attaching the Vita to a PS3: I have a wireless keyboard receiver and USB mini-B cable coming off my PS3, so there are no open USB ports up front. I use the mini-B cable to charge my PS3 controller, and to attach my PSP. The PS Vita uses a new proprietary USB cable, so I found this adapter on Amazon that allows me to attach the Vita to the USB mini-B cable:
Your Cable Store USB Female A To USB Mini Female B 5 Pin Adapter
The Not-So-Good:
No video-out capability, which given the Vita's high resolution graphics is unfortunate.
The battery life has been decent for me so far, but a friend tells me that during an intense Uncharted gaming session, a full battery is empty in less than 3 hours.
>
Cross-Platform Play & Remote Play: Most games are not compatible. Sony should change their webpage to say "Planned for Summer or Fall 2012 release", because right now this just doesn't work for most games.
Video file playback: The PS Vita is limited to specific MP4 and H.264 file types. Forget about avi, wmv, mkv, DVD files, etc. without doing a lengthy file conversion first. Android phone and tablet owners can download the free 'MX Player' application that will play back just about any video format, but Sony Vita owners don't have that option. I can copy a TV show from my home theater PC and watch it on my 5-inch Android tablet, but on the Vita the file will not play.
The Web Browser -This is just not up to par for a handheld released in 2012. I expect to rotate the Vita in my hand and have the browser change from portrait to landscape mode, but this DOES NOT WORK. I went to Youtube to check the latest FPS Russia video, and look for a video review of Hot Shots Golf, but this DOES NOT WORK. The Vita does not support Youtube, PERIOD. Then I went to Amazon's home page to check the daily Lightning Deals, and this DOES NOT WORK. Lastly, I was on movietickets(dot)com to buy some tickets to the show, and the Vita's browser DOES NOT WORK. Maybe there will be a browser update, or maybe we can buy the Dolphin HD or Opera browser in the Playstation Store in the near future, but as of right now, the Vita browser is limited.
>
The first decision to make is how to buy the games, either Digital Download from the Playstation Store or order the physical game cartridge from Amazon.
We should support Amazon and buy the game cartridges here, for several reasons:
+game carts can be traded with friends, traded-in for store credit, or re-sold for cash. Digital downloads from the Sony PlayStation Store are locked to your online account and have zero resale or trade-in value.
+when I insert the Uncharted game cart into my Vita, in just a few seconds I have transferred 3.2 gigabytes of gaming goodness into my Vita. In comparison, the digital download might take several hours, then it has to be transferred from the PC or PS3 to the Vita using the slow USB cable. Then 3.2 gigabytes of memory card space is needed to hold the Uncharted game, memory space which is worth about 10 d0llars.
+physical game cards will naturally go down in price over time, due to normal supply & demand. For example, Pilotwings and Nintendogs were both launch titles for the 3DS, and they are now selling for HALF the price of launch day. Digital downloads may never see those kind of normal, market price adjustments. For examples of this, just look at PSP game prices on the Playstation Store, then compare to the better Amazon pricing.
Of course there are some games exclusively on the Playstation Store, but they are usually priced lower and with smaller file sizes. For example, Mutant Blobs Attack and Escape Plan are two excellent games that don't take long to download and are a great value.
>
I started out with Hotshots Golf, Lumines, and Rayman Origins.
I've played Hotshots Golf ever since the PS1 days, but this new Vita edition is still a blast to play, and looks great. Lumines is fun too, I was a big fan of Lumines 1 & 2 on the PSP.
Rayman Origins looks amazing and is fun, but I think it's the exact same game that is already on the PS3 and XBox360.
In the PS Store, I bought Escape Plan and Mutant Blobs attack, both highly recommended! My next purchase will be Super Stardust Delta, another great title.
Next I tried some PSP games on the Vita: Pinball Fantasies and Pinball Dreams are Mini's that work great on the Vita, they look better here than on the PSP. Also, Capcom Classics Collection works fine on the Vita.
>
The Playstation Store is part of the PS Vita experience. Even if we buy all our games here on Amazon, there are still a few online exclusives that must be purchased and downloaded from Sony.
I was browsing the store on my PS3, and found 27 Vita games were available for purchase. 18 of these games included a Preview, showing either screen shots or video clips. The other 9 showed nothing, expecting us to buy these games sight unseen, or go do our own research.
I can't believe that Sony still doesn't get it. EVERY game in the store should have a Preview. Sony should require it of the publishers. That's the way Microsoft runs their online store. Microsoft wants to be up-front and honest and lay the cards on the table, so there's no buyers remorse. Almost every game in the Microsoft store also has a free trial download. Sony could take a lesson from them.
Ok so then I went to the Playstation Store from my Vita, and was surprised to see that NONE of the games for sale had Preview screen shots or videos. Unbelievable!
>
The PS Vita is a beauty to behold, a BIG step-up from the PSP, with some truly good launch games.
Now Sony needs to bring their A-game and fix some of Vita's shortcomings. Make the PS Store more user friendly, get Remote Play and Cross Platform Play working, as advertised, and fix the browser. How can ANY handheld not support Youtube in 2012? Lastly, how about a better app for video playback?
----------------------------------
UPDATE May-30-2012
There is now a javascript webpage available that allows Sony Vita owners to watch Youtube videos! The downside is that you have to download the entire video to your memory card before you can watch it, there is no video streaming or previewing available. Just lookup 'vita youtube' on Youtube.
The Vita has been out for 6 months now, why can't Sony give us a proper Youtube application? Samsung and Apple (and others) support Youtube just fine, they get the job done for their customers.
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The answer to that question is both a yes and no. To be quite honest, if you are a casual smartphone user who plays games in their iOS or Android device and aren't concerned with games, the Vita is not for you. However, if you are a smartphone user and yearn to be able to plays higher quality games with controls that makes sense on a screen that won't hurt your eyes, the PS Vita is right up your alley. So let's get into it:The Playstation Vita itself a beautiful piece of hardware itself with:
5in. OLED touchscreen that puts out ridiculous resolutions.
back touchpad like what you would use on your laptop
two analog sticks like your PS3 or 360 controller
and feels light but having the weight of something premium
A front facing and rear facing camera just like an iPhone
The OLED screen is gorgeous and you will never have a problem being able to read or touch anything on your screen. Also the power button has been placed on top of the unit to prevent accidental pushes while the headphone jack is underneath to prevent pulling anything out. The analog sticks themselves, while on the small side, are just as responsive and intuitive as their larger cousins on the PS3 Dualshock. Overall the unit is sleek, sexy, and pretty darn cool to hold and look at.
However there are some cons:
The right analog stick is a few centimeters away from the X button on the Vita. For people with smaller hand sizes this won't be a problem but as I have larger hands, I noticed my thumb will accidentally hit the stick while I press buttons. Not a big factor but slightly annoying.
The analog sticks themselves are fine but as I said before, people with large hands will have to learn how to adapt to using them. Hey, if we can text paragraphs at the speed of sound on an iPhone, a small joystick is a piece of cake.
Onto the actual software of the Vita, from the get go, Sony walks you through every step of the way while setting up your Vita. From accessing your Playstation Network account to applying for the AT&T Data plan (if you bought the 3G/WiFi model) to even adjusting the time, it's all done in an easy way. I was very impressed. Moving onward you have "apps" such as:
Welcome Park: A mini-game filled app that helps you learn all the features of your Vita and does it in an easy to understand manner. Even a child could understand this app.
Near: AN app that allows you to "see" other users in a few mile radius who also have Vitas. From here you can send friend requests, rate games, and even leave gifts for other users to find. Very neat.
Party: The biggest app you should pay attention too. It's basically Xbox Live on the Vita. You can add people to your party from different games, and talk to them (Yes I said talk!) on your Vita while doing other things. This is the killer app of Vita in my opinion.
Netflix: Looks amazing on the OLED screen.
Freetweet: Lets you post tweets on Twitter while playing games
etc.
I could go on and on but the interface on the Vita is very easy to navigate as all of your apps are cute bubbles you can move around just like on an iPhone. Also, you can press the Playstation button on your Vita and it will 'suspend' your current game or app (just like an iPhone) and let you "tear" the page away to delete it. Very cool.
CONCLUSION: This is where I have to draw the line. As a smartphone user who plays games on my phone, I see the value in the Vita as it provides social and gaming experiences that you truly cannot find anywhere else. The only thing a Vita doesn't do is make phone calls and even then the Vita is getting a Skype app soon to allow you to make calls. However, I know there will be people who don't need to have a Vita when their iPhone gets the job done and that is perfectly fine. However, if you want to take that next step and buy quite possibly the greatest gaming handheld ever made (Yes I can say that with a straight face), then get a Vita. It really is a gamechanger. :)
Best Deals for PlayStation Vita - WiFi
First, let me say that I'm in my thirties and am busier than ever with family, career, school and living an active lifestyle. BUT, I've always enjoyed playing an occasional high production and fast twitch games since I can remember. I have an Xbox 360, but just no time to play it, a PS3, but my family really only uses it to watch movies and an IPad and IPhone, but those never satisfied my gaming "fix".This PS Vita does the trick! Although I no longer sit down for hours and "game" anymore, I still get this real desire to play a high production or fast twitch game, but could never justify leaving my family to feed this small addiction. Now I can lie in bed and play for 30 minutes before crashing (while my wife shakes her head) and get that feeling like I'm playing a counsel in my hand...quite amazing and something that swiping on my Phone and Ipad could never seem to do.
PROS:
Great Screen
Great Controls (takes about 10 min to get used to)
Great product for the stage of life I'm in
CONS:
Pricy
Uncertain future of device and games
I'd recommend this product for those who have less free time as they used to have, but still enjoy playing a (high production) game here and there!
Honest reviews on PlayStation Vita - WiFi
The PSVITA in a nutshellThe Vita overall is an exceptional piece of gaming hardware.
PROS:
-OLED is clear, vivid, and best of all pretty resistant to finger prints.
-PSN is responsive and easy to use.
-Dual analog stick 100% functional (unlike the nub).
-Rear touch pad is innovative and very responsive.
-Front touch works as well as any apple device I've ever owned.
CONS:
-Battery life (5-6 hours with brightness down).
-No PS1 classic support as of 02-23-2012(there are plans to add support down the road per SONY).
I believe that the Vita is where Sony finally got it right, this is the first handheld from them that I love almost as much as I did my GBA.
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Let me preface this review. I'm an adult gamer, have a professional career, etc. I don't have time for PC games anymore, and even console games are a hard sell for me since the ones I want to play demand a lot of time (Mass Effect, Dragon Age, etc).Mobile gaming is nice, but the PSP was very dated. iPhone games are not in depth enough for me, and most are too casual. iPad, same story. I bought a 3DS hoping for better graphics and games, and it just sucked. What a let down. Then, Nintendo pulls the price drop stunt to infuriate us already disappointed early adopters. I went back to my PSP.
I bought a PSVita on launch day-and it is EVERYTHING I'd hoped for. The screen is big, but not too big. The graphics are incredible. I picked up Uncharted, Wipeout and Ninja Gaiden-and they're incredible. The processing power of this thing is insane. The controls are all smooth and fluid, I mean this thing is near PS3 quality gaming experience-in a handheld!
To make it even better, the launch titles are all mostly very good, and a large variety. Also, tons of my favorite PSP titles are available in the Playstation Store already! The prices are reasonable, too.
I'm telling you, if you are sick of Angry Birds, mad at Nintendo over the 3DS mess, there is hope for us all. Get this thing. It is amazing.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Discount Xbox DVD Movie Playback Kit
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $8.99
Today's Bonus: 70% Off
If you're one of a handful of people who own an x-box but no DVD player this remote is, literally, essential to playing DVDs.
The x-box system is expensive for microsoft, and they don't make much profit off the systems. In order to play DVDs, companies have to pay a licensing fee to the motion picture of america association. Rather than include the costs of the license in the x-box system, they force you to purchase the DVD remote in order to play DVDs.
All this explains why even though your x-box has all the hardware necessary to play DVDs without a remote you have to buy a remote in order to actually watch DVDs.
My remote works well enough. Its batteries have lasted quite a while, and most DVDs play pretty well. It would be nice though if the remote had a power button.
Most standard DVD players work at least as well or better than your x-box, so I wouldn't recommend this item unless you don't already have a DVD player.
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When I first heard of this DVD Playback Kit, I was a little mad that Xbox didn't already have a DVD feature built in. I like it though, I don't watch a whole lot of DVDs. I use it for something else. You can use it in the main menu of the Xbox. You can use it as a remote to play songs you already have burnt onto your Xbox. I use my Xbox to play music while I'm on my computer because my computer is too slow to play music and do anything else. You can use it to play DVDs or as a remote to your MP3s.Best Deals for Xbox DVD Movie Playback Kit
PROSworks fine. No IR connection problems.
great for people that don't already have a DVD player.
CONS
doesn't play DVDs in progressive scan. Why not? They can make games in 480p (old HD) for the xbox.
takes up a controller port slot. Not a big deal, but if you often have 4 friends playing, you won't be able to leave it in all the time.
no backlit or glow
no eject button
no power button. What? Never seen a remote without a power button. Thus you CANNOT turn your xbox on/off with this remote.
cannot learn
not universal. If you have lots of remotes, you're better off learning this one into a universal remote.
many people already own a DVD player, many with progressive scan.
Honest reviews on Xbox DVD Movie Playback Kit
This product was thrilling at first turn my Xbox into a cheap and reliable DVD palyer? Great! IT worked okay for a few months but now, 5 months later it does not recognize hardly any DVDs. It jsut says "this is not an Xbox game or recognizable DVD please try again...." Do not waste your money buy a real DVD player instead. You can get a decent one for under $40 almost anywhere. Even when the DVD unit did work, it doesn't even have a power button or an eject button. Microsoft has over promised and under delivered.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Xbox DVD Movie Playback Kit
PS2 could include DVD playback without any additional hardware (by using a normal game controller), so where's the sense in Microsoft abstracting DVD playback off of it's already bulkier system? The answer is "more money."Ideally the IR module should have been built in to the Xbox to begin with. I would gladly have payed an extra $10 then, instead of what MS is asking for now, which is roughly $30 at most retail stores. Simply ridiculous.
The gadget _does_ do what it is supposed to do (the only worthwhile thing to be said) but altogether is somewhat discouraging for reasons already addressed.
The design of the controller is bulky as well--not sleek like PS2's _optional_ DVD remote control. I have said it so many times that I am getting sick of it: The only failure of the Xbox system eminates from it's choice to require you to buy the ability to playback DVDs.
Since, however, there is no choice in the matter I suppose all of us capitalist sheep will flock to the stores and gladly plop down 30 smack-a-roos so we can watch our DVDs. We will probably also decide to sell our old DVD player on eBay since they are no longer needed, and also to recoup our losses on the Xbox DVD kit. And I suppose too, that while on eBay we will notice the Xbox DVD playback kit being offered for around $15 instead of $30.
Word to the wise: Go to eBay for this gadget. You will save yourself around 50%.
Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol 1 - PlayStation 2 Reviews
List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $10.98
Today's Bonus: 15% Off
It's about time that this collection comes to the US. This has the first 4 Fatal Fury games (the Real Bout Fatal Fury games are in Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol 2 which is currently out only in Japan).
Like the Art of Fighting Anthology, these 4 games are 100% versions of the arcade games. However for the first Fatal Fury game, the issue of controls still comes up. FF 2 improves on this, with FF Special being the best game in the collection. FF 3 is the best looking game, but the new multi-line system is a little confusing at first. It's still a fun game needlesstosay
This collection will keep you playing as it's tough even on Easy mode. My main issue is the lack of a real 2 player vs mode like they have in the Art of Fighting series. 2 people can play, but the victor can't pick someone else for the next match.
Despite the shortfalls, this is a solid collection of old school fighting games. Hopefully Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol 2 & the upcoming Japanese release of World Heroes Gorgeous will make it to North American soon.
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Works great. Not much to say about it except that it's a very fun game. If you love NeoGeo this is a must have.Best Deals for Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol 1 - PlayStation 2
If anyone is a fan of SNK, than they remember Fatal Fury from way back when. Either having played it in the arcades, or playing the sometimes watered down (although still fun) ports on the old consoles like the Genesis or Super Nintendo. Fatal Fury Battle Archives Volume 1 brings the first 4 games from the Fatal Fury series to the Playstation 2, faithfully ported from the original arcade versions respectively on each title.You have Fatal Fury, Fatal Fury 2, Fatal Fury Special, and Fatal Fury 3. this series could be considered, like Art of Fighting, a precursor to the King of Fighters series, as it features a lot of regulars in the series, including faces like Mai Shirunai, Andy and Terry Bogard, Geese, and plenty of others. One cool thing about the series, not seen in hardly any other fighting games is the ability to jump back and forth between foregrounds and backgrounds, adding another plane to fight on.
Other than that, Fatal Fury offers all the fun 2D style fighting you can find in games like Street Fighter, Samurai Shodown, and others. It's fun, its old school, and its always to be remembered.
It's a shame though that SNK did not add any new features to this collection. You have the ability to color edit characters, and also adjust difficulties, but that's about it. Pretty bare bones in presentation.
If you're a fan of old school fighting and SNK, this is a title not to be missed.
Honest reviews on Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol 1 - PlayStation 2
Ah, these games are old gems. This is the first time that a few of them have been made available in the U.S. on a home system besides the Neo-Geo.Anyone getting in to this game should know right off the bat that this is pretty old school. The original Fatal Fury was released around the same time as SFII, so you will certainly notice it's age. The gameplay does not feel very modern in the first three games (you can barely even combo at all in the FF1), but then again, why would anyone buy a classic game compilation trying to expect modern gameplay?
If you're an old school SNKer then heck, you probably have this game already. If you don't get it ASAP. The games are recreated faithfully, the music is still great (even today) and, most importantly, all of these games are fun.
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Great for memories of days gone by. Not really for the new generation. They would not appreciate the early graphics or the simple gameplay. But for us who grew up on these, it provided a much needed option in the then emerging fighting game genre.Friday, July 11, 2014
Cheap Full Auto 2: Battlelines - Playstation 3
Full Auto 2 Battlelines for the PS3 provides fantastic racing / car destruction gameplay that has great graphics and very fun gameplay.
First, the setup. It is a rough and dirty future where a street gang sporting fast cars has taken over the streets, making the average citizen afraid to venture outdoors. A sentient computer system is trying to save the city, and wants you to infiltrate this gang to take it down. So you are street racing with machine guns and bombs in order to save the world :)
The game tosses you right into the fun with a triple mission of infiltration. You get races and kill-the-other deathmatches. Where it might be rough in other games to get thrown into the action, it's actually really fun here. You blast away with your machine guns, zoom around corners, and discover the secret paths to make your laps go more quickly. The basic objectives are relatively simple to hit, but you get encouraged to try again for the secondary objectives to get skins. I like that they tell you up front what you'll win if you hit your marks.
The graphics are very well done. The cities are gritty, with run down alleys and broken down storefronts. It's a lot of fun to blast away at the other cars, watching pieces fly and the environment destruct. You can cause many things to happen by destroying your world buildings fall doesn on rival cars, new pathways open.
There isn't much to say here about sound. There's the sound of squealing tires, explosions and blasting weapons. Your computer friend has the calm, even voice that prods you onward in your quest. The music soundtrack is sort of a low key urban rhythm that is very unobtrusive and doesn't distract you when you are trying to juggle the 7 cars bearing down on you.
This isn't a simple Mario Kart style of game. You really are tested in your skills. There are multiple paths, multiple enemies, multiple styles of cars, weapons, defenses and skills. As you go through the game you unlock a large number of options, and it comes down to your particular style of gameplay as to which works best for you. Some people are snipers, some are in-your-face blasters. The cars I customize will vary greatly from those my friends create, and each one works wonderfully for the way we play.
This is also what makes the game shine in multiplay. You have to think creatively about how to defend yourself against a given car with its weapons configuration, and how to best attack them. Multiply this by multiple opponents and you can see how this becomes a game requiring both fast fingers and an agile brain.
Even the cut scenes and config screens have much better graphics than previous games. They put work into each and every aspect here.
There are only minor complaints if you change your controller config, it still prods you to do the "standard" button presses in the game. Also, I still find the zoom in after a kill to be annoying and unnecessary.
Highly recommended!
The good and bad of the game:
THE GOOD:
Tons of stuff to blow up and break. That's one of the great features of this game. In races you can take out streetlights, vehicles, glass buildings, and lots more, and in the gladiator fights you can wreak havoc by shooting tanker trucks full of oil and knocking over stacks of huge pipes (as well as much, much more). Driving through a building might result in your vehicle breaking through the floor and tumbling to the ground, and hitting certain parts of some structures may cause an entire building to collapse.
The deathmatches, called Gladiator matches in the game, are a blast, even against the computer AI. With so much destructible stuff lying around the multiplayer maps become an absolute warzone with bullets, missiles, and explosions all over the place. The PS3 handles all the action pretty well too.
You can create new paths by destroying certain parts of maps.
Head to head multiplayer is a great option for offline gaming, and something that's lacking in a lot of games these days.
Tons of unlockables
Each event in career mode has primary and secondary objectives, so you can pass the event without doing everything perfect and go back and try for the secondaries later when you're up to the challenge.
THE BAD:
If you want to use better weapons in multiplayer modes you've got to unlock those weapons in career mode first. Putting yourself in a gladiator match right out of the box will have you fending off computer opponents with flame throwers, missiles, lasers--all kinds of stuff--with your machine gun and smokescreen. If it's REALLY necessary to unlock all the weapons the computer opponents in deathmatches shouldn't have them either.
Vehicle control leaves something to be desired, especially when you're racing. It's not just that it's tough to get used to--most of the vehicles just don't respond all that well to the controls, which is a mild annoyance in a wide open Gladiator match but a serious drawback when you're racing through narrow streets.
This game was a lot of fun overall. Comparisons to the Twisted Metal franchise are not misplaced, but this is a good game in the absence of a TM title on the PS3. While the Career mode leaves something to be desired the multiplayer options more than make up for it. There's nothing groundbreaking in Full Auto 2, but it's still a lot of fun.
The unranked arenas also give a few more choices for gameplay that you can't get on single player or in the ranked arenas, such as Base Assault (quasi-capture the flag-esque game) and the Cat & Mouse Race (2 slow moving trucks on opposing teams race while everyone else gets the fast & tough cars called Warlords that go and try to prevent the opposing teams truck from finishing first).
After playing this game for a month or so, I actually went out and bought 3 more PS3's and 3 more copies of FA2 just so I could play against my kids (yes, my wife was quite irritated at me). On the weekends when Mom is sleeping in, we all "sneak" into the the living room where I move our other TV's in and we camp out there and blast each other for hours. The only other game that has come close to providing my kids and I this much fun was Mario Kart Double Dash for the Game Cube (NOT the Wii version don't get me started on how they stripped out the ability to unlock on coop mode but I digress).
Full Auto 2 has great graphics. Yes, every now and then you'll have the stray box or pipe that falls "through" you or something like that, but in all actuality, I notice stuff like that happening on most every game (including Haze, which just released). It doesn't detract from the game at all since a) it doesn't happen all that often and b) the game is moving just too darn fast for you to notice. The actually look of the graphics is quite sharp, everything is well lit (even the darker areas) so you never have a hard time seeing, the environment is quite destructible (you can blow all sorts of stuff and it STAYS blown up, unlike the little fake bullet holes that appear and magically disappear in many FPS's). You can even use the environment to kill your opponents (like blowing up an overhead rail, causing the speeding train passing by overhead to fall, crash, and blow up on your opponents, or blowing up a tower that when it falls, causes tunnels and ramps to appear, etc). The cars are detailed, and so is the damage that appears when you get shot. In fact, the damage is customized so that machine gun damage appears different than a missle, which is different from flame damage or even the look of a general crash into a wall.
As far as gameplay physics go, many people complain about the cars feeling "floaty". This is where I see the most flak for this game come from, and this is why in my first comment on this game I assume that these people just never tried to unlock any of the upgraded cars. Sure, the starter vehicles suck, but that just motivates you to unlock the better ones. In fact, the Enforcer (the police car) is one of the first cars you unlock, and it is one that has good enough stats and durability that it can be easily used to keep up with even the last few cars that you can unlock. It handles fine, as do most of the vehicles (minus the starters and the Phanthom). Of course, none of the car physics can match up with Gran Turismo 5, but come on, this is an arcade racer/FPS. I doubt slapping guns on GT5 cars would be very fun at all due to the realism (seriously how many realistic cars could withstand a missle shot especially those in GT5 that don't even show the damage?). Anyway, my take on the physics is that they handle the way I'd expect them to for the most part and aren't anything to complain about at all.
As far as variety of maps go, the races have more than enough to keep any ADHD player occupied for hours. The gladiator arenas definitely have enough to keep the online play from getting stale, but I do wish there had been more gladiator maps. I really think that if this game had come out now, the developers (now out of business thanks for pulling out on them there, Eidos) would have been able to garner a lot more attention to this game by offering the downloadable maps that the current game developers are just now really starting to get into. Who knows, if they had offered a half-dozen extra arenas at 5 or 10 bucks or something, maybe that would have been enough to keep the afloat long enough to get some more gigs? That's probably just wishful thinking on my part, but who knows?
Are there cons to this game? Well, the biggest and only real con is the lack of players Online. It can be difficult to sometime to find others on the boards, and if you aren't patient enough, you may get the feeling that you've entered a ghost town when looking through the ranked and unranked areas. Rest assured, though, there ARE regulars that play, and many times you just have to go to the ranked arenas and just camp out for about 5-10 minutes (oftentimes the regulars are in a match, which is 10 minutes long for a ranked gladiator match, which means that if you wait, all of a sudden you'll have 5 or 6 players pop up all at once as they go for another round but you do have to camp out as when there are players going round after round, you only have about a 15 second window to catch the wave or else their next match will begin without you, and you'll have no idea that they were ever there).
All in all, Full Auto 2 is great. I hope there is a way to squeeze out a Full Auto 3, but with the developers out of business and as much unwarranted flak this game received, there is hardly a chance of Sega trying to ressurect the title. I never played Twisted Metal before, so I can only hope that the PS3 version comes out and plays as well as FA2. Until then (and most likely long thereafter), I'm going to be online playing FA2.
First, the setup. It is a rough and dirty future where a street gang sporting fast cars has taken over the streets, making the average citizen afraid to venture outdoors. A sentient computer system is trying to save the city, and wants you to infiltrate this gang to take it down. So you are street racing with machine guns and bombs in order to save the world :)
The game tosses you right into the fun with a triple mission of infiltration. You get races and kill-the-other deathmatches. Where it might be rough in other games to get thrown into the action, it's actually really fun here. You blast away with your machine guns, zoom around corners, and discover the secret paths to make your laps go more quickly. The basic objectives are relatively simple to hit, but you get encouraged to try again for the secondary objectives to get skins. I like that they tell you up front what you'll win if you hit your marks.
The graphics are very well done. The cities are gritty, with run down alleys and broken down storefronts. It's a lot of fun to blast away at the other cars, watching pieces fly and the environment destruct. You can cause many things to happen by destroying your world buildings fall doesn on rival cars, new pathways open.
There isn't much to say here about sound. There's the sound of squealing tires, explosions and blasting weapons. Your computer friend has the calm, even voice that prods you onward in your quest. The music soundtrack is sort of a low key urban rhythm that is very unobtrusive and doesn't distract you when you are trying to juggle the 7 cars bearing down on you.
This isn't a simple Mario Kart style of game. You really are tested in your skills. There are multiple paths, multiple enemies, multiple styles of cars, weapons, defenses and skills. As you go through the game you unlock a large number of options, and it comes down to your particular style of gameplay as to which works best for you. Some people are snipers, some are in-your-face blasters. The cars I customize will vary greatly from those my friends create, and each one works wonderfully for the way we play.
This is also what makes the game shine in multiplay. You have to think creatively about how to defend yourself against a given car with its weapons configuration, and how to best attack them. Multiply this by multiple opponents and you can see how this becomes a game requiring both fast fingers and an agile brain.
Even the cut scenes and config screens have much better graphics than previous games. They put work into each and every aspect here.
There are only minor complaints if you change your controller config, it still prods you to do the "standard" button presses in the game. Also, I still find the zoom in after a kill to be annoying and unnecessary.
Highly recommended!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Full Auto 2 is a part racing, part blowing stuff up game. This game puts you behind the wheel of a variety of souped up vehicles equipped with various weapons and offers a number of ways to play, ranging from races (with weapons, of course) to 'Gladiator' mode deathmatches. There's a story driven career mode (the story is pretty weak, however) with events that offer both primary and secondary goals and reward you with unlockable vehicles, weapons, and skins for your vehicles. There are also many ways to play multiplayer, both online and in head to head offline mode.The good and bad of the game:
THE GOOD:
Tons of stuff to blow up and break. That's one of the great features of this game. In races you can take out streetlights, vehicles, glass buildings, and lots more, and in the gladiator fights you can wreak havoc by shooting tanker trucks full of oil and knocking over stacks of huge pipes (as well as much, much more). Driving through a building might result in your vehicle breaking through the floor and tumbling to the ground, and hitting certain parts of some structures may cause an entire building to collapse.
The deathmatches, called Gladiator matches in the game, are a blast, even against the computer AI. With so much destructible stuff lying around the multiplayer maps become an absolute warzone with bullets, missiles, and explosions all over the place. The PS3 handles all the action pretty well too.
You can create new paths by destroying certain parts of maps.
Head to head multiplayer is a great option for offline gaming, and something that's lacking in a lot of games these days.
Tons of unlockables
Each event in career mode has primary and secondary objectives, so you can pass the event without doing everything perfect and go back and try for the secondaries later when you're up to the challenge.
THE BAD:
If you want to use better weapons in multiplayer modes you've got to unlock those weapons in career mode first. Putting yourself in a gladiator match right out of the box will have you fending off computer opponents with flame throwers, missiles, lasers--all kinds of stuff--with your machine gun and smokescreen. If it's REALLY necessary to unlock all the weapons the computer opponents in deathmatches shouldn't have them either.
Vehicle control leaves something to be desired, especially when you're racing. It's not just that it's tough to get used to--most of the vehicles just don't respond all that well to the controls, which is a mild annoyance in a wide open Gladiator match but a serious drawback when you're racing through narrow streets.
This game was a lot of fun overall. Comparisons to the Twisted Metal franchise are not misplaced, but this is a good game in the absence of a TM title on the PS3. While the Career mode leaves something to be desired the multiplayer options more than make up for it. There's nothing groundbreaking in Full Auto 2, but it's still a lot of fun.
Best Deals for Full Auto 2: Battlelines - Playstation 3
I have to admit I had second thoughts about buying battle games to my boys. However, I decided to try a game where bloody images were not the main topic, but racing and defeating other cars do. My boys liked this game, because of the difficulty in this part. I liked it because of we do not see blood everywhere.Honest reviews on Full Auto 2: Battlelines - Playstation 3
I don't see why this game gets bad reviews. Maybe it is because the vehicles you start with suck. Once you unlock a few cars and weapons, this game really picks up. The story in the campaign mode is a little over the top, but the gameplay is great and very challenging (in a good way). You can opt to breeze right through the game and unlock a lot of stuff on your way, or you can go through and systematically beat every challenge and sub-challenge for each stage and unlock everything. Regardless, once you have a little time under your belt, go immediately to the Online Gladiator matches. This is where the game really shines. The Ranked arena is frequented by some players with some great skills, and it is fun to try to keep up (unlike some games where it is frustrating to keep getting shot Online, this one gives you a fighting chance to stay alive by the lack of spawn camping that the game inherently has due to the fast and furious gameplay, open fields, etc, in addition to the ability you have to blast the turbos and get away from your pursuers). I've enjoyed this game more than any other PS3 game I have, including (dare I say it?) CoD4, R6V, and Assain's Creed. Those games are fun, but they just don't have the lasting appeal that FA2 has (CoD4 comes close as it is an awesome game for different reasons still, I would rather be playing FA2).The unranked arenas also give a few more choices for gameplay that you can't get on single player or in the ranked arenas, such as Base Assault (quasi-capture the flag-esque game) and the Cat & Mouse Race (2 slow moving trucks on opposing teams race while everyone else gets the fast & tough cars called Warlords that go and try to prevent the opposing teams truck from finishing first).
After playing this game for a month or so, I actually went out and bought 3 more PS3's and 3 more copies of FA2 just so I could play against my kids (yes, my wife was quite irritated at me). On the weekends when Mom is sleeping in, we all "sneak" into the the living room where I move our other TV's in and we camp out there and blast each other for hours. The only other game that has come close to providing my kids and I this much fun was Mario Kart Double Dash for the Game Cube (NOT the Wii version don't get me started on how they stripped out the ability to unlock on coop mode but I digress).
Full Auto 2 has great graphics. Yes, every now and then you'll have the stray box or pipe that falls "through" you or something like that, but in all actuality, I notice stuff like that happening on most every game (including Haze, which just released). It doesn't detract from the game at all since a) it doesn't happen all that often and b) the game is moving just too darn fast for you to notice. The actually look of the graphics is quite sharp, everything is well lit (even the darker areas) so you never have a hard time seeing, the environment is quite destructible (you can blow all sorts of stuff and it STAYS blown up, unlike the little fake bullet holes that appear and magically disappear in many FPS's). You can even use the environment to kill your opponents (like blowing up an overhead rail, causing the speeding train passing by overhead to fall, crash, and blow up on your opponents, or blowing up a tower that when it falls, causes tunnels and ramps to appear, etc). The cars are detailed, and so is the damage that appears when you get shot. In fact, the damage is customized so that machine gun damage appears different than a missle, which is different from flame damage or even the look of a general crash into a wall.
As far as gameplay physics go, many people complain about the cars feeling "floaty". This is where I see the most flak for this game come from, and this is why in my first comment on this game I assume that these people just never tried to unlock any of the upgraded cars. Sure, the starter vehicles suck, but that just motivates you to unlock the better ones. In fact, the Enforcer (the police car) is one of the first cars you unlock, and it is one that has good enough stats and durability that it can be easily used to keep up with even the last few cars that you can unlock. It handles fine, as do most of the vehicles (minus the starters and the Phanthom). Of course, none of the car physics can match up with Gran Turismo 5, but come on, this is an arcade racer/FPS. I doubt slapping guns on GT5 cars would be very fun at all due to the realism (seriously how many realistic cars could withstand a missle shot especially those in GT5 that don't even show the damage?). Anyway, my take on the physics is that they handle the way I'd expect them to for the most part and aren't anything to complain about at all.
As far as variety of maps go, the races have more than enough to keep any ADHD player occupied for hours. The gladiator arenas definitely have enough to keep the online play from getting stale, but I do wish there had been more gladiator maps. I really think that if this game had come out now, the developers (now out of business thanks for pulling out on them there, Eidos) would have been able to garner a lot more attention to this game by offering the downloadable maps that the current game developers are just now really starting to get into. Who knows, if they had offered a half-dozen extra arenas at 5 or 10 bucks or something, maybe that would have been enough to keep the afloat long enough to get some more gigs? That's probably just wishful thinking on my part, but who knows?
Are there cons to this game? Well, the biggest and only real con is the lack of players Online. It can be difficult to sometime to find others on the boards, and if you aren't patient enough, you may get the feeling that you've entered a ghost town when looking through the ranked and unranked areas. Rest assured, though, there ARE regulars that play, and many times you just have to go to the ranked arenas and just camp out for about 5-10 minutes (oftentimes the regulars are in a match, which is 10 minutes long for a ranked gladiator match, which means that if you wait, all of a sudden you'll have 5 or 6 players pop up all at once as they go for another round but you do have to camp out as when there are players going round after round, you only have about a 15 second window to catch the wave or else their next match will begin without you, and you'll have no idea that they were ever there).
All in all, Full Auto 2 is great. I hope there is a way to squeeze out a Full Auto 3, but with the developers out of business and as much unwarranted flak this game received, there is hardly a chance of Sega trying to ressurect the title. I never played Twisted Metal before, so I can only hope that the PS3 version comes out and plays as well as FA2. Until then (and most likely long thereafter), I'm going to be online playing FA2.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Full Auto 2: Battlelines - Playstation 3
I like this game a lot; I would have given it 5 stars but you have to play the career mode to unlock more weapons and cars for Aracade and multi-player modes. To me this knocked the game value down since I bought this game for the sole purpose to play against other opponents. So instead of playing each other immediately we are now trying to complete most of career mode to unlock more cars and weapons; to me this is a waste of my time and energy. The game is fun once you have 50% of it unlock and well worth the money; though it would be nice to start off with more than 2 weapons and 3 cars.
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